Butterfly
by Little Miss Mionie
Summary: What if Parvati didn't want to go dancing with that boy from Beauxbatons, and dragged Harry onto the dance floor instead? A simple action leads them both into a much darker destiny filled with romance, danger and prophetic visions. AU, Complete.
1. Flutter

**Rated** **M:** Warnings for coarse language, character death (death of teengers), kidnapping, underage drinking and sexual situations. Please be cautious when reading this fic as it contains issues that may be offensive or confronting in later chapters. Warnings are placed at the beginning of each chapter when required.

**Author Notes**: I'm astounded by the resonse Butterfly has received - so thanks so much for reading and reviewing! This is an **unbeta'd, now complete,** **AU fic** that continues past GOF. There is **no character bashing** and **this story actually involves magic** :) **Constructive criticism and critique is encouraged and welcome!**

* * *

"Harry?"

Jerked out of his preoccupied thoughts (S_tupid Diggory, I can't believe Cho is enjoying herself..._), Harry turned towards the source of the voice, his black hair falling into his eyes.

Parvati sighed inwardly. _He doesn't even know how good he looks! _She outwardly smiled at the Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry realised that he was supposed to answer the Gryffindor girl. "Yes, Parvati?"

"Do you want to dance?"

Harry bit his lip. "Uhh, not really…" he answered truthfully.

Parvati wasn't going to let those bright green eyes tempt her to agree. She wanted to dance.

"C'mon, it'll be fun, Harry! And besides," she added in a lower voice, nodding towards the surly Ron and the miffed Padma, "I don't want to be around those two for much longer."

Casting a look towards them, Harry relented. "Okay, Parvati, I'll dance with you. But no complex moves."

Parvati smiled. "It's a deal."

Harry rose from his seat (Parvati was already standing) and did something his partner didn't expect him to do; he bent down slightly, offered his arm and said in a most regal voice, "May I have this dance?"

Parvati giggled. "You may, kind sir," she replied, and took the offered hand as Harry led them out to the dance floor.

Once on the crowded floor, Harry dropped the pretence of someone confident. His ruffled his hair, and said in an amused voice, "So, ah, what do we do now?"

Parvati giggled again, and quickly noticed the pained expression that had darted across her partner's face. She stopped giggling immediately, dropped her gaze to the floor and mumbled, "Well…you take my hand, and then put your other one on my waist…"

Harry frowned at Parvati's sudden shyness. That wasn't like her.

Parvati now decided to look up, and instead of giggling, actually laughed. "Lucky this is a slow song, Harry. You haven't even put your hands on me yet!"

Harry blinked. "That just sounded awfully strange."

Parvati's brain jammed. '_You haven't even put your hands on me yet'_… oh, no! It _had_!

"Um…err…" stammered Parvati and Harry smiled bashfully.

"It's just; I've never heard you actually laugh before…you and Lavender just usually…"

Parvati was confused for moment -_he hadn't meant it that way!_ - And then grinned.

"Giggle like little girls?"

Harry too grinned. "Yeah, like that."

Suddenly, a tall, slender blonde boy wearing smart dress robes walked up to the two Gryffindor's.

"Parvati," he greeted with a French accent, completely ignoring Harry, "Look, seence your partner can't even dance…are you quite sure you do not want to dance with moi instead?"

Parvati looked angry. "Yes, I'm quite sure, Luc, that I do _not_ want to dance with you. No go away and harass someone else."

The boy from Beauxbatons sneered as the amount of couples on the dance floor seemed to double, and the three of them found that they were quite invisible.

'Luc', as Pavarti had called him, grabbed Parvati's wrists, yanking her towards him.

"Nobody turns down _moi_," he leered, pulling her closer, and in doing so, broke one of the golden bangles that had been dangling from her arms.

Harry, outraged at what was happening, deftly kicked the French boy in the back of his knee, making him double over in pain. He then got his wand and threatened it at Luc.

"I believe she just did. Do not try to come near her again, or so help me I will make your face look like that bangle."

The gold bangle in question which was on the floor was snapped cleanly in two.

Luc whimpered a 'It won't 'appen again!' and made a quick exit.

Harry turned to Parvati, who was visibly shaken. He placed a consoling hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Parvati nodded, and bent down to pick up the remnants of her bangle. Looking at it up close, Harry noticed that it had an inscription of a butterfly on it.

"Bloody jerk," she muttered. She gave Harry a weary look.

"Could we just sit down for a bit?"

"Sure," agreed Harry, and they both found a spot decorated with a number of Christmas ornaments, to which they sat under.

They were silent for a while, until Harry asked again; "Are you quite sure you're alright, Parvati?"

Parvati grinned. "Yes, Harry, I'm fine. I'm not some fragile thing that's about to break."

Instead of the reply of 'I was just making sure' Parvati was expecting, Harry gave quite a different one.

"I honestly didn't know you were that brave."

At Parvati's shocked expression, Harry smiled sheepishly and continued.

"You were manhandled by a guy two years older than you, stronger than you, taller than you. Someone like Hermione or Lavender would have freaked out."

Parvati honestly didn't know what to say. It was Harry again who broke the silence; but this time, with the most random thing;

"I like that butterfly clip you wear in your hair. You know the one that McGonagall told you to take out when the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students came? It…looks really…pretty."

Parvati suddenly laughed. _Laughed_. She could honestly say that she liked laughing a whole lot more than _giggling_.

"Do you have habit of stunning girls into silence, Mr Potter?"

Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "No! I-I'm sorry ab-about doing that I-"

"I was only teasing you, Harry!" Parvati said, and then quickly sobered. "But thank you, for the compliment."

Harry blushed. "It's alright."

He cast a sideways look to where Cho and Cedric were dancing together, and his mood suddenly became melancholy. "So…are you enjoying tonight?"

Parvati thought for a moment, then answered truthfully, "No, not really…"

"Oh."

"What about you?"

"It's okay."

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you get that funny look when I giggled before?"

"I don't really like it when girls giggle, that's all."

"Oh," replied Parvati, and laughed lightly.

Harry suddenly spied the broken bangle. "Here," he said, and Parvati handed over it, "I can fix it for you…_reparo!_"

"Thanks, Harry," commented Pavarti, and then blushed. "Thanks for everything, tonight…if you hadn't been there…"

"But I was," said Harry firmly, placing the bangle back on Parvati's wrist, shivering slightly as a jolt of electricity seemed to course through him at the touch, not noticing that Parvati had shivered too, "And that's all that matters."

He sighed again. This hadn't been a great night.

Parvati cleared her throat. "You fixing my bracelet just made my night seem a whole lot brighter…I wish I could do that to your night in return, Harry. You're really sweet."

Harry looked up through his long fringe, and flicked it out of view with a turn of his head.

_He doesn't realise what he's doing to me_, thought Parvati, her breathing hitched and the butterfly in her stomach fluttering its wings a hundredfold times faster.

"Maybe if you…" Harry left the sentence hanging and leaned towards Parvati, closing his eyes as their lips touched.

Deepening the kiss, Parvati was truly glad that she had asked Harry to dance.

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews and concrit are lovely! Thanks for reading.


	2. Animal Magnetism

Parvati felt Harry break off the tender kiss. Her lips lingered near his; how she ached for another kiss.

Her mind was whirling. She had just made out with Harry Potter. _The_ Harry Potter. The boy who helped her in Defence against the Dark Arts and who rolled his eyes whenever she asked a question in Divination. The boy who was the seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, the boy who always got in trouble. The boy who had the loveliest green eyes, the boy who was so sweet, the boy who she knew more as an acquaintance than as a friend…

Pavarti's doe eyes were pleading as she grasped Harry's warm hand in hers.

"Harry, I think we should talk about…about what just happened…somewhere a little more private." said Parvati, jerking her head to where Ron, Dean and Seamus were sitting, staring at them, looking very shell-shocked. She couldn't deny her attraction towards him, but it was all so sudden…

Parvati noticed how uncomfortable Harry looked: she could see it in his wonderful emerald eyes.

"Y-Yeah," agreed Harry shakily, as Pavarti led him away, "Somewhere private."

Dean, who was sitting in between Seamus Finnegan and Ron Weasley over the other side of the room, snorted, and addressed Ron with all seriousness as Harry and Parvati rushed out of the Great Hall.

"Animal Magnetism will only get you so far, mate," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "And, as our friend Harry has wisely shown us, the rest is up to fate."

Ron stared incredulously at Dean for moment, then swiped the punch from Dean's hand, ignoring the feeble protest of 'Hey!' from the dark-skinned boy, and downed the contents of the cup into a nearby bush.

The redheaded Weasley then muttered, "Whoever spiked the punch is a dead man."

"Hello, boys!" came a voice from their right.

The three males turned to see a stunning looking Hermione, her robes a pretty blue and wisps of her mocha hair falling into her chocolate brown eyes. Her cheeks were a bit pink from dancing.

Dean was they only one who bothered to say a cheerful 'Hello, Hermione, enjoying yourself? You look really nice!' back to the normally-bushy-haired girl, as Seamus was too busy noticing how developed the brilliant witch was and Ron was too preoccupied with suppressing his rage.

Harry and Parvati could hear Hermione and Ron's argument as they walked out of the Great Hall. The voices slowly faded away until only the echoes of their footsteps could be heard cascading throughout the corridor interior.

Parvati's eyes caught Harry's, and he leant forward, his lips hovering above hers intensely until he pressed his lips against hers.

This time Parvati pulled away, refraining herself from giggling. Instead, she let out a light laugh which sounded like sweet music to Harry's ears.

"I think we were meant to be talking, Harry," she said in hushed tones, her dark chocolate eyes never leaving his.

Harry smiled shyly, and Parvati was pretty certain that it was the most beautiful type of smile she'd ever seen.

Harry sighed, once again nerves attacking him. "Y-You're right."

He couldn't quite meet Parvati's eyes, instead training them on the hem of her pink dress robes. _Which, while they're a shocking pink, they do look very nice on her, _Harry noted.

Parvati frowned as she watched her Yule Ball Date stare at the _hem_ of her designer robes. Most boys would be staring at her torso, the way the robes accentuated her hips and showed that Parvati Patil actually had some…well, you know.

Lavender was so much more beautiful than Parvati was. Parvati, okay, she supposed. Her best friend had the body of a supermodel. It had taken a long while to learn not to be envious of her.

But, as Harry was staring at her hem, Pavarti suddenly got very, very nervous. What if Harry didn't look at her _that_ way because he didn't like her? He certainly looked at _Cho_ _Chang_ that way, she thought anxiously.

Oh, she was so confused! She was in unfamiliar territory: she'd never even had a boyfriend before! Maybe she was just getting worked up over nothing. After all, it was just a few kisses.

Parvati gulped, working up her courage. It was now or never. She fiddled with her newly mended butterfly bracelet, as she took a deep breath and said, not meeting Harry's eyes,

"I really, really like you, Harry."

Parvati then looked up and saw the look on Harry's face, the look embedded deep in his eyes.

Harry opened his mouth and began to reply.

…::ooOOOoo::..

arry was absolutely dumbfounded. _Parvati Patil_ liked _him_? One of the prettiest girls in the school liked _him_?

Harry had no idea what to do, or say, to his date. His mind was going as fast as a rogue snitch in a Quidditch game. He was rubbish at talking to girls - the incident with Cho Chang was evidence enough. But Parvati was really nice, really pretty…and a _fantastic_ kisser. What was he going to do?

Harry didn't want to screw this up. Looking at Parvati's expectant expression, Harry figured he already had. He felt as though his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. Harry would rather face a Hungarian Horntail all over again.

How long had it been since Parvati had told him that she fancied him? Two seconds? Ten seconds? A minute? Far too long, oh, crap, some _something_…

"Uhm…"

_Smooth, Potter._

Harry managed to untangle his tongue. He smoothed the back of Parvati's hand with his thumb before looking into her brown eyes. With his other hand, he bravely cupped Parvati's soft cheek.

"I think I like you too, Parvati," he said quietly, before breaking into a grin. A small smile graced the brown-haired witch's lips in return.

Parvati's face had grown hot as Harry placed his hand on her cheek. Now it felt as though she was on fire. Her words were unsteady: she wondered if someone really had spiked the punch.

"Well…well…do you want to, I don't know, go on a date or something?"

Harry's grin grew wider. Ron would kill him if he saw Harry being like this, but Harry found he didn't care. Looking into Parvati's mocha eyes, feeling the touch of her supple cinnamon skin, Harry couldn't even remember who the hell Cho Chang was. Looking at her, everything faded away: the task, the mysterious golden egg riddle, his scar burning…

"Sure," he agreed readily. Harry moved closer to Parvati Patil, and his mouth found hers. The feeling was amazing, her lips, her tongue...

"Harry!"

The Boy Who Lived pointedly ignored his name being called.

"Harry!"

Excited, rushed footsteps forced the two to break apart. Ron came into view, and Harry suppressed a groan. Why did Ron have to interrupt now?

"_What?_" he inquired sharply. He tried to signal for Ron to go away, but he didn't seem to be taking the hint.

Ron's face was flushed with excitement and from the cold. He moved forward and grabbed Harry good naturedly by the arm. Parvati unwillingly let go of the green eyed teenager's hand.

"C'mon, Harry!" cried Ron, "We're ninety percent sure Snape's _drunk_!"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "I don't care, Ron, can you just-"

Seamus was waving from a distance away. "Come on, Harry!" he called. "You don't want to miss this!"

Harry looked back at Parvati.

"Go," she encouraged half heartedly, her brown eyes downcast.

Harry didn't even get a chance to apologise or say goodbye to Parvati as his mates pulled him further away from the only place he wanted to be.

…::oooOOOooo:::..

"Parvati! Are you even listening to me?" Lavender asked as she applied another coat of pink lacquer on her nails.

'No', would be Parvati Patil's truthful answer. But who said Parvati was truthful?

"Yes, Lavender," she replied dully, taking another mouthful of her bowl of muesli.

Lavender looked horrified. "Okay, something is seriously wrong with you today!" she said, poking Parvati with a newly pink fingernail. "You know that that cereal crap has at least ten too many calories!"

Parvati chose to ignore this comment, and looked around the Great Hall, feeling melancholy. She refilled her spoon. Lavender had obviously mistaken her muesli with banana slices for the sugary Wizarding delight _Magical Mouthfuls_. Parvati surveyed the room, despising the rays of sun that shone in through the windows and the clear blue sky that the magic ceiling portrayed, awakening the sleep-riddled students.

Parvati couldn't shake her feeling of disappointment and regret. She shouldn't have let Harry go last night. Up until that moment, the night had been perfect.

At the sound of familiar voices, Parvati turned to see who was coming, but found the glare from the sun was obscuring her vision. She could hear a familiar voice nearing her.

"Two o'clock, Ron! We stayed up until two in the morning because you thought Snape was drunk, which he wasn't- a _fact_ that you didn't seem to grasp even after the twentieth time I'd told you!"

A girl's voice could be heard, ringing with rationality.

"Why didn't you just go to bed, then? Or go back to Parvati? I'm sure she was waiting for you."

Finally, the figures moved out of the sunlight and were revealed. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley were entering the Great Hall for breakfast. Parvati nervously glanced at the Boy Who Lived. He kept giving Ron an irritated look

"I didn't even want to go, Hermione," replied the raven haired teenager. "The guys were begging me to." Harry sighed. "I completely screwed it! Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"

Parvati quickly moved her attention to her breakfast, looking at her banana slices as though they were the most interesting thing in the world. The three Gryffindors settled into the table. Parvati peeked at Harry once more, and saw Hermione smile and nod in Parvati's direction.

"Ask her yourself, Harry," Parvati haired the brown haired witch say.

Parvati quickly looked in the other direction, fiddling with her hairpiece, hoping it didn't look like she'd been watching them. Parvati attempted to distract herself. Her hairpiece had been a gift from her late father, one she treasured deeply. It was silver, bejewelled with amethysts, sapphires and jades, Parvati recounted from memory.

Lavender shot her an annoyed look - she didn't like being ignored.

"Hey, Parvati…"

Parvati looked around and immediately brightened as she saw that Harry was speaking to her.

"Hey, Harry," answered Parvati a little too quickly.

Harry smiled shyly. He then looked down at his feet, took a deep breath and began to apologise.

"Parvati, I'm really, really sorry for leaving you there last night, but Ron..." Harry then shook his head. A voice in the back of Harry's head that sounded eerily like Hermione's told him to not give Parvati an excuse."Okay, uhm…I just, I'm really, really sorry. It was a stupid thing to do."

Parvati laughed, realising that Harry didn't know he'd said 'I'm really, really sorry' twice. He sounded like he meant it.

"Really really?" Parvati teased, earning a laugh from Harry. _Wow, he looks amazing when he laughs…_

"Does this mean you forgive me?" asked Harry hopefully.

Parvati made an 'hmmm' noise, enjoying Harry's apprehensive reaction. She licked her lips. The move she was about to make might be one she regretted later on if Harry didn't agree. Parvati squared her shoulders. She was certain that there had been something between Harry and herself last night.

She was a Gryffindor. She could do this.

"Alright, then," she replied, "but on one condition."

Harry happily swiped an apple from Ron's hands, ignoring his 'hey!' of protest, taking a bite. Harry swallowed. "What condition would that be?"

Parvati inhaled deeply. _It's now or never…_

"The condition being that you take me to Hogsmeade next weekend."

Harry grinned, like he couldn't believe his luck. "Great," he responded happily.

The sound of an 'Oooh' mocking sound caught Parvati's attention. Parvati made a mental note not to sit next to Seamus Finnegan ever again.

"Harry and Parvati!" he said in a sing-song voice, growing in volume with every word, "Sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S- _ARGH!_"

Harry whipped out his wand faster than Parvati could see and whispered, "_Langlock_!"

The sandy-haired boy's tongue was quickly fastened to the roof of his mouth. Parvati smiled. She remembered that jinx from last year.

"Seamus," Harry threatened, "If you go around shouting things like that I will personally P-U-M-M-E-L you, got it?" Harry cast the counter-jinx.

Seamus gagged, but soon recovered. He seemed to be trying to work out what the letters 'P-U-M-M-E-L' spelled out.

"You'll what?' he asked, confused. "Puh-mehl me?"

"He'll beat you up," Parvati interjected matter-of-factly.

Seamus didn't seem too frightened of Harry's threat. He simply laughed, "Yeah, yeah, all right, Harry. No need to get your knickers in a twist. I'll see you two lovebirds later!"

And with that, Seamus ran down the aisle to where Neville and Dean were sitting.

Parvati and Harry slowly and somewhat awkwardly began to make small talk over the next couple of minutes. They discussed where they would go in Hogsmeade. After a while, Hermione leant over and spoke to Harry.

"Sorry to interrupt," she murmured apologetically, "but Harry, I've been wondering, have you figured out that egg clue yet?"

Harry didn't meet the brilliant witch's eye as he said, "Yeah, nearly. A few more days and I'll have it."

Parvati frowned; Hermione seemed to buy it, but she guessed Harry wasn't telling the truth. As Hermione kept quizzing Harry about the next Triwizard task, Lavender took her chance to talk to her best friend.

"Do I look good today?" she inquired loudly, playing with a strand of her long curly hair. Parvati examined her best friend. She always looked good: today her brown hair was out, her eyes had been expertly lined with eyeliner and her lips were a frosted pink: of course, her lip gloss and fingernails had to be matching in colour. Her perfume was a little strong though.

Lavender did look good. Parvati looked around. Half the male population of Hogwarts seemed to notice this fact too.

Parvati glanced coyly at Harry. His eyes weren't glued to Lavender Brown like Dean or Seamus's were. She watched as Harry rolled his eyes as Hermione badgered him some more.

_At least I know one person doesn't look at Lavender like that_, she thought to herself happily, smiling as the sun danced in the morn sky.


	3. Common Ground

Harry Potter, ebony hair soaked wet, climbed through portrait hole. He clutched his Golden Egg - the clue for the second Triwizard task - in one hand, and his invisibility cloak in the other. He couldn't believe how early it was_. Merlin_, he was tired.

The fire in the Gryffindor common room was still alight, and Harry sat down on the floor next to it cross-legged, trying to get dry. His white t-shirt and long black pyjama pants were soaking with water. Shivering, he placed the egg and the cloak on the common room floor, trying to get closer to the hearth to get warm. He watched as the red-yellow flames danced and darted around behind the black grate.

He eyed the egg and tossed if from hand to hand, thinking. What on earth could someone not 'sing above the ground?' mean? Harry watched the golden or as it went from hand to hand with a clanking sound, running the limerick he had heard in the Prefect's bathtub over in his head.

The Gryffindor boy's dorm door opened, and out came a bleary eyed Dean, hair tussled. He yawned, and upon seeing his dorm-mate Harry, glared.

"Mate, go to bed, will you? You're making a racket with that bloody egg!"

"Oh," said Harry sheepishly, and put down the golden clue. "Sorry, Dean. I'll be up in a minute or two."

Dean sleepily nodded, and started to trudge back up stairs.

Frowning, Harry called out quietly, "Hey, Dean! If someone was couldn't sing above ground, where would they sing?"

Dean turned around, looking at Harry like he had asked the stupidest thing in the world.

"You git, they'd bloody well sing _underground_!" he cried, irritated. Dean Thomas could be grumpy when he didn't get enough sleep. Or when his football team lost.

Dean then stomped loudly off to bed, leaving Harry mentally whacking himself on the head. _Of course they'd be underground…but where?  
_  
"Harry?" came a lovely and sleepy voice from behind the Boy-Who-Lived. "W-What time is it? And what are you doing up so late…" Harry looked around to see Parvati looking at her watch, then frowning. "…so early…?"

Parvati, still half asleep, frowned even more as she looked at Harry.

"You're all wet," she said stating the obvious.

Harry looked down at himself, and blushed. "Uhm, yeah…I took a late night…early morning…bath."

Parvati blinked again, and found that she was having trouble breathing. Harry's wet white t-shirt was so wet that it was almost see-through, and it was sticking to his slightly muscled abdomen. Harry smelt like strawberries. He must have had a bubble bath. Parvati smiled as she trudged over to Harry. The scent was really nice…

All of a sudden, Parvati's vision started to sway. Everything became blurry, the colours changed, the room spun, there was a bright light and then as quickly as the sensation had came it went.

Harry jumped up as Parvati swayed on her feet, her eyes closing, and grabbed her just before she fell to the floor.

"Parvati?" he whispered anxiously as he dropped slowly to the floor, leaning against the common room lounge as he cradled Parvati's head in lap. "Are you all right? Can you hear to me?"

Harry was at loss of what to do, and his mind was racing. He should really get someone to help, like Hermione or something—

"Parvati!" he cried in a soft voice, making sure not to wake anyone up. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Parvati raised her head from Harry's lap, with Harry supporting her as she got into a comfortable position sitting next to him.

"Uh…" Parvati began, not quite sure herself. She had never experienced a sensation like that before. One minute she was swaying and the next her mind was totally clear and focused. "I must be just really tired….or maybe it was the smell of strawberries. Did you have a bubble bath?"

"That's what made you collapse?" Harry queried. He shifted guilty.

"I'm so sorry, Parvti," Harry apologised. "I took a bath with all this weird soap stuff, I guess the scent must not have worn off yet."

"That's okay," Parvati forgave quickly. "Uhm, thanks for…you know, catching me there…"

Parvati nervously gave Harry a swift kiss on his cheek as a sign on gratitude. Harry blushed.

Harry smiled goofily at Parvati for a while.

"Are they _bunnies_ on your pyjamas?" he inquired after a moment, his goofy smile turning into a mischievous grin. He was staring as the purple and pink rabbits on her pyjamas legs raced. He'd never seen magical pyjamas, and was quite fascinated.

Parvati glared and poked out her tongue childishly. "Yes," she said, pretending to be miffed. "Says the guy who wears his cousin's clothes!" she fired back.

Harry made a face. "They're hand-me-downs from my cousin, who's like the size of a whale. They're pretty bad, aren't they!"

Parvati smiled. "Just a little…"

Despite the early hour, the two stayed awake to talk to each other, steadily growing more comfortable and confident in each other's presence. After talking of Quidditch, the Triwizard Tournament, school peers and lessons, they started reaching more private things.

"My Dad's dead," said Parvati softly, a sort of sad smile playing on her lips. "Something else we have in common."

"Really?" Harry's emerald eyes were kind.

"Yeah. When Padma and I were five, Mum came into the playroom, crying, saying that Daddy wouldn't come from work today. He was an Auror."

"I'm so sorry, Parvati," said Harry.

"That's all right."

Harry yawned loudly. "I'm so tired," he noted with a laugh.

Parvati yawned too. "I am as well, I think I might actually go to bed."

Harry stood and pulled Parvati up by her hand. He noticed it was soft and warm.

"Can I have a good night kiss?" Harry asked softly, nuzzling his nose against hers, his breath warm on her lips.

Parvati very happily obliged.

* * *

**A/N:** Mmmm, almost undetectable foreshadowing. I devour reviews :)


	4. Lav and Pav

**A/N:** I can't believe the response Butterfly has been getting! Thankyou!

**Lavender's appearance in Butterfly:** My interpretation of Lavender is completely different from the movie (somewhat short and dark skinned) and fan-art (blonde hair). Just thought I'd let you know.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter that exists already. All spells, books and magazines that are mentioned in this chapter have been mentioned in the Harry Potter series before. They are of J.K Rowling's creation. Nothing is mine.

'..::ooOOOoo::..' _indicates a scene break_.

* * *

"Oh my God!" 

Parvati Patil had never quite understood this statement her peers had a habit of saying. Her father, Amar Patil had come from a Hindu descent, but the same family also being magical biased purebloods, they weren't strictly dedicated. Her mother, Leah Patil was an atheist. Her father, hating the way his family, like most wealthy, long standing Pureblood families were (ie, The Malfoy's, Zabini's,) against muggleborns and half-bloods, fled his family and wealth for the non discriminate, lower class life. Then he had met Parvati and Patil's mother, fallen in love, and had a five minute wedding that muggles seemed to love so much, _yada, yada yada._

But Parvati honestly didn't get why people said "Oh My God." Was it not just a little disrespectful? She would never dare say any God or Goddess' name in vain if she could help it. Even if she and her twin sister Padma, like her Mum was a non-believer…she just didn't get it.

But Parvati was getting off track; she was meant to be figuring out why Lavender Brown, her best friend had rushed up to the girl's dorm, and screaming at Parvati, _"Oh My God!"  
_  
Parvati looked up from her copy of Witch Weekly, reading a very interesting article entitled- _It's Not The Robes That Make You Look Fat_ - and said in her most bored voice, even though she was truly curious as to why Lavender was shrieking out a deity in surprise, "What on earth are you talking about, Lavender?"

Miss Brown was breathless, which was quite a change. She usually made men breathless (and, as Lavender swore, when this certain girl 'accidentally' fell on top of her; Millicent Bullstrode) with her large bust size, small waist and beautifully clear, tanned skin. Her flirtatious nature helped her, Parvati supposed. The perfect picture of westernised beauty.

Lavender rolled her pretty blue eyes. "You!" she crowed. "With Harry Potter, the bloody Boy-Who-Lived! _When_ did it happen and _why_ haven't you told me, honey?"

Parvati honestly wasn't listening as her eyes widened. How did Lavender know this? She was only the biggest gossip girl in the whole of Hogwarts! This was a disaster- if Lavender Brown knew something, it wouldn't be long before the word was out…

..::ooOOOoo::..

"Oh My God!"

Harry looked around from behind his enormous stack of books that were taking up much of the Library table space, much to Madam Pince's, the librarian, dismay. He looked at Ron, who had squealed like Lavender Brown with a new piece of gossip.

"Did you find what can help me breathe underwater for an hour, Ron?" he asked quickly and quietly.

The redhead in question was looking unusually pale, making his freckles stand out. He then slammed his copy of Madcap Magic For Wacky Warlocks _**(1)**_ down loudly on the table, crying out triumphantly, "GOTCHA!"

Harry looked at his friend like he was crazy. Ron looked up, grinned sheepishly and mumbled as if explaining, "Spider."

Harry just shook his head in disgust. "So I'm guessing you didn't find anything?"

Ron shook his head as he looked cautiously under the heavy book, making sure that the arachnid was indeed deceased. He then answered, "Nope, sorry, mate."

Harry sighed. The task was tomorrow, and he hadn't found a way to breathe underwater, having finally figured out that he'd have to look for something he'd sorely miss in the school lake. He looked towards Hermione, and was about to ask "Found anything?" but was stopped as he saw what she was doing.

Hermione was tapping her wand on a blank page, saying the incantation "Aparecium!" louder and louder with each time she did. Harry frowned. Where had heard that spell before?

Suddenly it clicked. Second Year. Riddle's diary. _Aparecium_. The charm that makes invisible ink visible.

Hermione was still saying the spell, swishing her wand elegantly before jabbing the page again and again. "_Aparecium_. Aparecium! APARECIUM!"

"_MISS_ GRANGER! MR POTTER! MR WEASLEY!"

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati was torn. Should she deny that Harry and she were dating? That they'd kissed? Or should she just ask Lavender to keep her gob shut?

Pssh. That wasn't even humanely possible.

So, the younger by three minutes twin decided to say, "Told you what? You mean you didn't see Harry and I at the Yule Ball? You didn't know I went with him?"

Lavender sat down on the edge of her best friends' bed. "Of course I knew that, Pav! But I didn't know that you two _kissed_! I couldn't believe it! My Pav had her first kiss and didn't tell me!"

Parvati cringed at the name Lavender had bestowed upon her. _Pav_. Geez, didn't she know that in Australia and New Zealand (Parvati used to have a pen friend there when she was little) that was short for the word Pavlova? A meringue dessert with fruit?

Lavender also insisted on Parvati calling her 'Lav' or 'Lav-Lav'. Ugh.

"We didn't kiss." said Parvati, looking at Lavender like she was off her rocker. "Who on earth told you that?"

"Ron,Seamus and Dean said they saw you."

"They also said Snape was drunk."

Lavender tossed her glossy brown hair. "Hmmm…I guess your right. What're you reading?"

Before Parvati could answer Lavender had picked up the magazine and read the headline, then scrunched her nose up, thinking.

"You're not thinking of going on another diet, are you Pav?"

Parvati shifted guiltily. She hated being a size ten. Even Hermione Granger was a size eight and Lavender was a size six! Her jeans were too snug on her. Why did _Padma_ have to be the smart one with better looks?

Parvati's quest for the pity party was interrupted as a little first year girl came into their dorm.

"I've been sent to tell you that Padma Patil has to go to her Head of House."

Lavender frowned. "Padma's in Ravenclaw, sweetie. This is her twin, Parvati."

The little first year, a chubby girl with blonde curls, made a little 'oh!' noise. "Okay, um, thanks!"

With that, she dashed off.

Lavender giggled. "That was weird."

Parvati pouted. "I hate it when people get me mixed up with Padma!"

Lavender looked scared for a moment. "...Do you think we were like that in first year?"

"You weren't chubby, Lavender."

Lavender sighed. "That's a relief. If anyone needed a diet, Pav honey, it would be that little girl."

Lavender giggled and Parvati half heartedly giggled with her. Sometimes 'Lav' was such a bitch.

..::ooOOOoo::...

The three friends spun around to see the elderly librarian Madam Pince with her hands planted on her hips, an angry expression on her lined face. "Enough of this racket!" she shrieked. "I will not have people….slamming books and yelling spells! This is a library!"

"Sorry, Madam," Harry, Ron and Hermione chorused as everyone was starting to look at them.

"Hmph." murmured the strict Librarian. "Oh, and Miss Granger? You're wanted in Professor McGonagall's office."

Hermione frowned, but nevertheless packed up her books and her bookbag. "I'll come and help you once I see McGonagall." said Hermione firmly as she left the library.

Ron gave Harry a sympathetic look as Harry sighed, looking around at the dozens of piles of text books they'd collected. It would take them all night to go through them. Plus he was pretty sure he needed his glasses lens prescription changed. His eyesight was getting a little worse. _Gah_! Harry hated being short-sighted.

Ron said quite bluntly, bringing Harry back down to earth and the current situation at hand, "You could always just drown, Harry."

..::ooOOOoo::..

**A/N:** Are you all cool with this fic going past fourth year? (Grins)

_**(1)**_ It's an actual book! - Found on Page 243, UK Edition, Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire.

We got a lot of Parvati's background and inner thoughts this chapter. Next chapter, we'll delve into Harry's….

**Review, please!**


	5. The Second Task

**A/N:** Hey, Katie, try not to scream in your review. Again. Butterflies are _harmless_…

Sorry for the delay, everyone! Exams and life in general got in the way. I do believe this is the longest chapter yet…

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter that exists already. All spells, books, lyrics and magazines that are mentioned in this chapter have been mentioned in the Harry Potter series before. They are of J.K Rowling's creation. Nothing is mine. As this an Alternate Universe (AU) fic, some plots and details have been changed.

**Warnings:** One bit of swearing (In French, mind you) and guys being, well, guys, and talking about boobs.

* * *

_"Harry Potter, sir!"_

Harry Potter was startled awake to find tiny fists tugging at his bedclothes, a pair of rather big eyes staring straight at him and two big, batlike ears accompanying the high-pitched voice that had shrieked his name. Blinking a couple of times, and searching for his spectacles on his nightstand with his left hand, Harry realised that Dobby the house-elf was standing above him.

The unruly raven haired teen pulled on his glasses as his inquired in a disbelieving voice, "Dobby? What are you doing here?"

The house-elf looked quite alarmed at this, and reached for the book on the floor, proceeding to whack him repeatedly on the head with it. Harry winced empathically- Neville's copy of _Magical Mediterranean Water Plants and Their Properties_ was a thick book-

Harry stared at the book, gob smacked. How could he have been so blind? Neville's book on water-related stuff had been right in front of him the whole time!

_'I wonder how Hermione missed it!'_ Harry thought quirking an eyebrow. He then turned to Dobby, snatched the book away and asked, "What time is it?" followed by a yawn and a smile; he was in good mood. Now that he had found Neville's book, he would be able to find a way to breathe underwater by tomorrow morning!

"Eight O'clock, Harry Potter, sir!" calmed the squeaky reply. Harry's smile grew bigger- it was only eight at night! He would have all night to get prepared…

It was only then that Harry noticed the beams of sunlight streaming through his dormitory window.

"Eight o'clock as in eight in the morning?" cried Harry desperately. Dobby nodded, and Harry cringed.

His good mood had just been ungratefully chucked out the window.

**..::ooOOOoo::..**

"Harry Potter! Anyone for Harry Potter, folks? Place your bets!"

Parvati frowned at the Weasley twins whom were walking around the stands, asking people to place bets on the four Champions. That was so careless of them! Of course, she already knew Harry was going to win. She had consulted Professor Trelawney about it yesterday.

Fred and George Weasley started to come down her aisle in the grand stands near the school lake, where the second Triwizard tournament would soon be starting. The redheaded twins came up to Lavender and Parvati, winked at them and George said, "Hello there, ladies. Harry Potter is a sure-fire hit to win this task, according to our trustful bookie." Fred jerked a thumb to his best friend Lee Jordan, the boy who did the Quidditch commentary, whom gave Parvati and Lavender a cheery wave. George then continued courteously, "So, would either of you beauties like to place a bet?"

Lavender blushed prettily and giggled flirtatiously, while Parvati rummaged in her jacket pocket, hiding her slight blush whilst fishing for some money. She pulled out seven sickles.

"I'll place seven sickles on Harry Potter then," she said firmly, handing over the silver coins to Fred, who raised an eyebrow at the small bet. Parvati challenged him by saying, "Don't look at me like that! I don't normally carry around bags of knuts!"

Fred seemed to mull this over before happily taking the money. However, Parvati was not finished. She had remembered what she had been thinking before, about them being so careless. "You guys should really be more careful and not be so public about the betting thing," she added in a quieter voice as though they were in some sort of conspiracy.

"Yeah," chimed in Lavender, flicking back her long brown tresses, "We heard some French girls had a betting pool and they got _sooo_ busted. Like, _totally_ busted."

The twins looked alarmed. Lavender Brown, according to Ron, who got it from Hermione, who shared a dorm with the pretty witch, always had the latest gossip, and at times could be a trustworthy source. The twins shared a glance, before turning to the girls, giving them another wink and saying, "Farewell, ladies. Thanks for the tip!"

Lavender turned to Parvati and sighed dreamily. "Twins are so _hot_!" she squealed. Parvati mimed gagging.

"Excuse, Lavender," she said exasperatedly, "Do you forget who you're talking to? _I'm_ a twin!"

"Oh!" exclaimed Lavender, falling into a fit of giggles, which made Parvati laugh loudly.

**..::ooOOOoo::..**

"Oh, no! Dobby, what am I going to do?" cried Harry, as he quickly changed his clothes. He was in such a rush that he nearly put his sock over his shoe instead of his shoe over his sock. He glanced up at the house-elf, who cried out:

"Dobby is coming here to help Harry Potter! Dobby had Gillyweed, sir! Dobby is helping Harry Potter for he is the greatest and noblest of all wizards…"

Harry shot the ranting house-elf a quizzical look before interrupting him, "What's Gillyweed, Dobby? How's it going to help me?"

Dobby then (after trying to hit himself over the head again with Neville's herbology book for not telling Harry what Gillyweed was straight away) explained how the plant could help Harry.

Harry snatched the gillyweed with a cry of "Thanks, Dobby!" before raced down his dorm staircase, out the portrait hole and sped towards the lake.

Harry was nearly out of breath as he reached the marshalling area. Cedric Diggory grinned at him. "Overslept, did you?" he asked cheerfully.

Harry nodded his mouth quirking into a smile. Ever since the first task, Cedric and Harry had become good friends.

"Let me guess," said Harry, "You're a morning person?"

"Yeah," replied the handsome boy. He then came closer to Harry and whispered, "Did the bath help you?"

Harry nodded. "Thanks so much, I would have been completely lost without you!"

Cedric waved away this comment, his grey eyes suddenly filling with worry. "I haven't seen Cho all morning, and she's not in the stands…I don't suppose you've seen her?"

Harry frowned, "No, I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone this morning, not even Hermione or Ron…"

"Do you think-?" started Cedric, but whatever he was about task Harry would never know, for suddenly Cedric was interrupted by the booming voice of Ludo Bagman.

"_Would the four Champions please make their way towards the edge of the lake? The second Triwizard task starts in five minutes!" _

Cedric, Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum and Harry all walked over to the edge of the lake; where some important-looking officials were looking…well, official and important.

Cedric gave Harry an encouraging smile and a thumbs-up, and Harry nodded and smiled back. Cedric was actually a decent bloke. Maybe he and Harry could remain friends after this had all finished…

Harry looked up to where Mr. Bagman was seated in the stands. He scanned the crowd for anyone he knew…A little to the right Harry saw Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ron. He waved up at them, and they waved back. Along the same row, a little way away, Lavender Brown and Pavarti Patil were talking and laughing about something. Before Harry could get a chance to wave, although, Ludo bagman annoying encroached again.

"Silence, Everyone, the second task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin!"

There were a few cheers amid the hushing of excited whispers in the stands.

Harry gulped nervously. Mayhap he should not have eaten his breakfast so quickly this morning…

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls," Ludo continued in his thunderous voice, "Down at the bottom of the lake lies something the champions will miss most."

Ludo paused for dramatic effect, and the whispering in the stands grew louder. The air around Harry suddenly became thick with tension. He saw Fleur ask worriedly, "You don't theenk they 'ave taken our _famille_ down zere, _non_?"

Ludo's next statement quelled Fleurs' questioning.

"Now, we could not just bring our champions family members without some sort of consent, so we used the Champions Yule Ball dates…of course, slipping them all a Sleeping Draught before they could actually realise what they were in for."

Many people screamed in outrage. The Triwizard Officials didn't even ask for people's consent to be dumped underwater?!

Harry was frowning, though. His Yule Ball date, Pavarti Patil, was up in the stands…

Ludo Bagman cleared his throat awkwardly, booming over the voices, "The Champions have one hour to regain what has been taken from them. Good luck!"

All of a sudden, a whistle blew, signalling the start of the task. Looking uneasily at the green seaweed-like substance in his left hand, Harry popped it in his mouth and began to chew, ignoring the rubbery wet taste. Once Harry had eaten the Gillyweed, he dived into the ice-cold water, swimming deeper and deeper, and his form began to change…

Harry realised a split second later that he could suddenly breathe underwater. He had gills! He tried to touch them, only to find he had webbed hands and feet.

"Wicked!" Harry exclaimed, but all that came out of his mouth was a bubble.

Suddenly remembering the task, Harry kept a swimming in the murky water. He dodged a few lingering Grindylows and fumbled his way through masses of long seaweed. It seemed to take an age to get to the bottom of the lake. Harry was scratched a few times from rocks he did not see, but they were only minor scrapes.

Finally, Harry made it. Ironically, enough, at the exact same time, Fleur, Cedric and Krum had also arrived. Fleur had performed some sort of charm on her face so she could breathe through a bubble, while Krum had transfigured his head into that of a shark, and Cedric had done the same as Fleur. The four of them were all standing in front of an army of Merpeople.

The mermaids and mermen were ugly creatures, stained yellow teeth accentuated by their beady yellow eyes with grotesque ashen skin and each glaring fiercely at the four of them. The Merpeople were holding spears, some threateningly. They were singing a mournful tune:

_'An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took…'_

Fleur tried to swim past them, but they held her back, almost stabbing her straight through her chest with their spears. Her expression was incredulous and horrified as she screamed (the bubble enabled her to speak and let them hear, somehow) in French, "_Merde_!" Harry had a fair idea what she had screamed aloud, and could not blame her- these mer-folk were downright creepy! A jagged rock suddenly caught his eye as the Merpeople continued singing.

'…_you time's half-gone, so tarry not_

_Lest what you seek stays here to rot…'_

Harry's eyes widened as he picked up the rock with his webbed hands clumsily. _'I hope that they weren't serious when they said that they leave them to rot!'_

Harry aimed the rock and threw it, grinning as he heard the dull _thunk_ of it hitting a merman's head. Taking Harry's lead, Cedric and Krum started to pelt the Merpeople with rocks.

Their plan of action was working, it seemed, for the mermaids and mermen were backing away, unsuccessfully shielding themselves from the stones as they hissed in their odd language. Harry, Cedric, Fleur and Krum then darted forward towards what the sea creatures had been hiding from them.

There, unconscious, tied with flimsy pieces of rope, were the captives: Roger Davies, Hermione Granger, Cho Chang and…

_Padma_ Patil?

Harry pushed his glasses further up his nose. Maybe he really did need his prescription checked! Harry dog-paddled forwards over to Padma, ignoring Cedric bumping into his shoulder as the handsome boy tried to undo the ropes binding Cho.

Upon closer inspection, Harry confirmed that it was Padma, Parvati's twin sister. She had a smaller, finer nose than Parvati and a tiny beauty spot above her lip. Harry could also see the Ravenclaw crest on her Hogwarts uniform.

Using another sharp rock, Harry cut his way through the ropes and grabbed the floating Padma around her waist. Beside him, Cedric had gotten to his girlfriend Cho, Fleur had gotten to Davies and Krum had somehow managed to use his shark teeth to get through Hermione's ropes without biting her in half.

Something inside of Harry did a funny jolt. Without another moment to lose, Harry, Cedric, Krum and Fleur, holding onto their Yule Ball dates, raced each other to the surface, the thrill of the chase pushing Harry to go faster and faster…pushing Harry to win.

**..::ooOOOoo::..**

Ron clapped Harry on the back good-naturedly, grinning.

"I can't believe you won!"

"I _tied_ Ron, with Cedric, it's a complete difference!" Harry replied, although he too was grinning. They were back at their dormitory, and it was now well past midnight; the Gryffindor's had put in a marvellous celebration in honour of Harry's victory. Harry was quite tired from all the day's events.

Ron got a dreamy look in his eye. "It would have been so cool to be down there," he muttered wistfully, shooting Harry a glance.

The green-eyed-teenager smiled. "I don't think Hermione would agree with you."

Hermione had been teased mercilessly by the Weasley twins for being the one that Viktor Krum would miss until she'd finally snapped. She had retorted to them coolly, "Well, if you insist on teasing me so much, I'll just have to give the tickets for Bulgaria's next game that Viktor gave me away…which is quite horrible for you two, as there's only two tickets left in the world."

Fred and George had then proceeded to try and suck up to Hermione all night, making her feel quite smug indeed.

As Harry mulled over the day's events, a silence had come between his redheaded-best-friend and he.

"So," started Ron into the silence, his tone awkward, "You and Parvati, eh?"

Harry frowned. "Parvati and I what?"

"Well…" replied Ron, "You guys went to the Yule Ball…_and_ you guys kissed…" As Ron said his next statement, he laughed, "And her twin sister got mistaken as her for the person you'd miss the most…"

Harry raised an eyebrow. He deliberately had not told anyone so word would not get out. If Rita Skeeter the Daily Prophet reporter found out about his relationship with Parvati, all hell would break loose. "What's your point, Ron?" he asked impatiently.

"I - erm - well - " Ron stuttered, his ears going red in embarrassment as he lowered his voice, "Do…do you _fancy_ her?"

Harry was genuinely shocked by this question. He and Ron had _never_ had this type of conversation before!

The green-eyed-teenager thought about Ron's question before answering.

"I'm not quite sure if I fancy Parvati."

"Do you fancy Cho Chang?"

"I don't think so…You know what? No, I don't fancy Cho anymore. I just think I liked her for a bit because, well, she's very…_pretty_…"

"She's also got huge knockers."

"RON!"

"What? Can't a decent bloke notice these things?"

"Well…I suppose so…"

"Parvati's _also_ got huge-"

"_RON_! FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP?!"

Ron suddenly grinned broadly, before collapsing into peals of laughter. "You _do_ fancy her!" he cried, holding his sides as he laughed.

Harry did not know whether to smile, frown, agree, or object.

Maybe he really _did_ fancy Parvati Patil.

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews would be awesome! Next chapter, Harry and Parvati's date, where you will see a lot more of Parvati than you did in this chapter. 


	6. B, Uh, Witches

* * *

Parvati was torn from being outraged and hurt that her twin sister had been mistaken for Harry's thing that he would miss the most. Which, in the end, it was not likely that she was the thing Harry Potter missed the most because-

The Hindi girl stopped herself mid-rant, and crowed as she sat upon her lavish pink four-poster bed:

"I _still_ can't believe it!"

Lavender Brown looked up from her copy of the Witch Weekly, nodding. "I know!" she agreed. "I mean, Celestina Warbeck can't _really_ be twenty-seven years old!"

"No!" cried Parvati, "I mean about them getting Padma and I mixed up in the Triwizard-"

All serious discussion thrown out the window in favour of a new piece of gossip, Parvati replied, diving for the magazine Lavender was holding, she replied in disbelief, "What? She's twenty-seven? _No_ _way!!"_

"Way!" counted Lavender, showing the picture of the Pop singing witch.

Hermione Granger opened her bed curtains apart, revealing her baby blue flannelette pyjama clad self. "Honestly!" she scolded her two dorm mates. "It's one in the morning! Don't you two need your beauty sleep, or something?" she said scathingly.

Pavarti and Lavender both glared viciously at Hermione before Lavender retorted,

"So, _Herm-ninny_, is Viktor Krum taking you to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day tomorrow?"

Hermione flushed with suppressed anger and embarrassment. "I don't know," she said steadily.

Before Pavarti knew it, the words had flown out of her mouth.

"Oh, I'm sure he will. I mean, otherwise he might _miss you_ too much."

Pavarti felt sickened, and she realised that this was not a good sign. Professor Trelawney also told them to follow their instincts, as a true Seer would.

Lavender shrieked with laughter as she flipped her long mane of glossy brown hair back. Hermione looked close to tears as she replied as if choked, "Parvati, you're just sore because Harry _won't_ miss you."

Parvati's mouth opened in shock. Lavender muttered '_Bitch'_. How dare Hermione say such a thing? She was supposed to be the _nice_ dorm mate!

'_What if…'_ thought Parvati stricken as she looked at Hermione's tacky choice of bedclothes (that hue of blue did _not_ suit her at all) '_What if those _

_articles Rita Skeeter wrote about Harry and Hermione were actually true?' _

"Well, at least I didn't have to win Harry with a love potion!" she accused, attitude evident in her voice.

Hermione gasped. It was obvious that she could not believe what she was hearing. "How dare you! You actually think that I would give Harry- or _anybody_- _a love potion_?"

Parvati remembered the articles, and all the hate mail Hermione had received. The bushy haired girl continued, tears pouring down her face as she said in a rather unsteady voice, "You actually _believe_ that rubbish Skeeter prints?"

Lavender stepped forward, hand planted on her hip, eyebrow raised, "Ah, correct me if I'm wrong, but you and Harry spend a lot of time together. The evidence was all there, right in front of us. Rita Skeeter just made it more obvious. I don't even understand why you're making a big deal out of this, Granger."

Hermione sniffed as more tears fell from her eyes. So they were back to that- 'Granger'. She had not been called by her surname by her dorm mates since first year, when she had not had any friends. Hermione swallowed hard.

At least she had friends now- her two _best_ friends- to back her up on this.

"You know what?" Hermione said. "I don't have to listen to this rubbish."

She hopped on her bed and snapped the curtains shut, muttering the silencing charm so that she could not be heard from her quarters.

Pavarti felt guilt start to eat up inside her. Maybe she should not have been so…

Lavender raised an eyebrow as she said, "You know, I _knew_ she was a _freak_."

The pretty brunette then turned to her best friend, Pavarti Patil.

"You should just feel lucky, Pav," she continued, "That Harry Potter isn't actually dating you. Remember how angry he got when Malfoy insulted Granger at the start of the year? Harry would take her side in a heartbeat."

Pavarti felt sick. She had just lost a good friend and would most likely lose her boyfriend over something as stupid as a fight!

"But-!" cried Pavarti in anguish, "But…maybe we should apologise…we did say some pretty mean things…"

Lavender rolled her eyes, and exclaimed, "Really, Pav! The only thing we've lost tonight is good grades in Transfiguration. I'm sure we can get someone else to help us with our homework."

She then took pity on her best friend, who was twisting her hair worriedly, and looked as if she were about to cry.

"C'mon, Pavarti…things will get better. I'm sure the rest of the year will be great fun! Maybe you should get some sleep."

Pavarti nodded, and climbed into her bed, snuggling under her pink doona. Lavender's words spun in her head.

_I'm sure the rest of the year will be great fun! _

Ignoring the feeling in her gut telling her this was not the case, Pavarti drifted off to a less than peaceful sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh, wow. There's so much foreshadowing in this chapter it's not funny. Did anyone spot the plot bunny?! It's so bloody obvious, but eh. 

The date will be next chapter, sorry about that!

For any of you interested, at FictionAlley there is the 'Master Ship List' where all the Harry Potter ships can be found with their own thread. There is a Harry/Pavarti one with heaps of fans, interesting ideas and awesome fan art.

Please review! (Thankyou to all my lovely reviewers! You are so awesome! - Little Miss Mionie throws confetti-)


	7. Friendship

**A/N: **Updated on 22/10/10.

* * *

Harry Potter woke slowly and inwardly groaned to himself; it was still dark out. He slid a hand out sloth-like towards his watch which resided on his wooden bedside table and fumbled for it, his sleepy state not making him very agile. Harry then checked the time, only to roll his eyes, for he remembered that ever since the first task, his watch had ceased to work as it had been waterlogged.

Stumbling out of his warm four-poster bed, Harry shoved on his rounded glasses and yawned. He thought for minute about his appearance (old track pants and a singlet) and wondered if anyone else would be awake- Harry, without anyone else noticing him, wanted to be able to get down to the kitchens. He checked Ron's clock and saw that it was only two-thirty in the morning before he left to seek out the portrait of a very ticklish pear.

The green-eyed teenager yawned sleepily as he stumbled across the carpet flooring of the common room. All of a sudden, he heard a noise. A sniffling, watery noise.

Someone was crying.

Harry frowned, concern being the reason for his lowered brow. A small figure draped in a big purple quilt was sitting before the hearth, their knees drawn up to their chest, and their arms wrapped around their pyjama-clad legs. A familiar head of bushy brown hair was poking out from underneath the quilt.

Harry walked quickly over to Hermione, wondering what had happened to make her cry so much.

"'Mione?" he asked softly, putting an arm around her, quite unsure of what to do. She looked at him for a fleeting second, and he saw that her face was red and blotchy, and her eyes were filled with tears, before she quickly turned away in shame.

Hermione sniffed loudly and let out another small sob. Harry swallowed before saying weakly, "Come on, Hermione, you know I'm no good with crying girls."

At this, Hermione let out a watery chuckle.

"Tell me what's wrong, 'Mione."

"It's…" Hermione sniffed. "It's nothing, it's just stupid. I'm being stupid, that's all."

"Hermione…" pushed Harry warningly.

"It's Parvati and Lavender, okay?" said Hermione, sounding as though she had a head cold. "They were teasing me because I was the thing Viktor would miss the most, and then I teased Parvati back because she didn't get picked for you and urghh…it spun out of control. I hate them! I hate them so, so much!"

Harry was quite confused by Hermione's babbling. "What did Parvati and Lavender say exactly?"

Hermione relayed to him what had happened. When she finished, Harry's mind was going at a million miles an hour. He was totally torn. Hermione was like his big sister, but Parvati was…well, Parvati. He liked her. Like, he _like liked_ her. His thought s were suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice behind him.

"Wow, a cat fight. Figures, since we're Gryffindors…lions…"

Ron Weasley was descending the stairs case, orange nigh short clashing horribly with his mussed up red hair and freckles. He seemed to just be waking up.

Hermione sniffed again and seemed to draw into herself, making the purple quilt look as if it were smothering her. Ron and Harry traded looks before nodding to one another.

The two best friends of Hermione Granger lifted up the quilt on either side, Harry on the left, and Ron on the right, and tucked themselves under it so that the trio were snuggled underneath it, the two boys grabbing Hermione's hand in reassurance. The quilt was toasty from the crackling fire and the three of them huddled together, hand in hand, made Harry feel very warm inside. He looked over to his distraught brown haired witch smiled as Ron muttered on in a dramatic fashion, imitating Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil's shrill voices.

"Oh, Merlin, I've broken a nail!" he shrieked, flipping his red hair back in a melodramatic way, clasping a hand to his heart. 'What ever am I, the beautiful Lavender Brown, to do? I think I'll just eat a block of chocolate and cry my poor, girly heart out. Parvati," Ron started, batting his eyelashes at Harry, who looked at his mate as though he were crazy, "Could you pass me a sparkly pink tissue, please?"

Harry stared at Ron with an eyebrow raised, making Hermione laugh. "Mate," the green-eyed-teen said, "I think your brains been waterlogged other something, because that wasn't even _funny_."

Ron, in his Lavender-mode, pouted, batting his eyelashes again. "Not even a bit funny?" he whined in a falsetto voice.

"_No_."

They fell into silence, holding hands and staring at the fire underneath the overly large purple quilt. Hermione's sniffles eventually subsided. It was a while before one of them spoke again.

"Thanks," whispered Hermione, her face still blotchy red.

"What are friends for?" replied Harry rhetorically.

Ron made an 'hmmm' noise, before giving Harry a mischievous glance. He cleared his throat, and said to Hermione,

"Well, it seems Harry here is in a sticky spot."

Hermione gave Ron a quizzical look.

"Huh?"

"He's going out with Parvati tomorrow."

"WHAT?" Hermione shrieked.

Harry spluttered for a moment before launching himself over Hermione and tackling Ron to the ground, sending the quilt flying dangerously close to the inglenook.

"You - git!" cried Harry through gritted teeth. "I - didn't - want - anyone - to - know! I - told - you - that - in_ -confidence!_"

Harry Potter straightened for a second, adding quietly to Hermione, "Not that I wouldn't have kept it a secret from you, 'Mione, but you'd just had a fight with her so I thought…"

Hermione was looking at Harry funny, which made him nervous. She suddenly smiled, looking overjoyed.

"Oh, Harry!" she crowed. "Your first _girlfriend_! The first one of us to date! Oh, you must tell me _absolutely_ _everything_ that happens, okay?"

She threw her arms around him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Not that I want to ruin this happy moment or anything," said Ron as he got up off the floor, "But Hermione's blanket's on fire."

..::ooOOOoo::..

"Lavender?"

"Pav, honey, it's three in the morning. Go back to sleep."

"But- but…._Lav…_I need to tell you something."

"Is someone's _life_ depending on this?"

"It's gossip."

Lavender brown sprang from under her covers, pulled back the silk curtains from her lavish four-poster bed and ripped open her best friends' curtains.

"Gossip?" asked Lavender excitedly, looking wide-awake, pulling her long brown hair into a loose ponytail. "Tell, tell!"

Parvati nervously studied Lavender before saying quietly, "I've got a date with Harry Potter tomorrow."

Lavender's pretty blue eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "No _way_! Harry Potter? You _go_ girl!"

Lavender pulled Parvati into a big hug, and Parvati whispered, "Promise you won't tell anyone, Lavender!"

Lavender released her best friend and giggled. "What? Don't you want people to know that you're going out with one of the cutest guys in school?"

"Not - not right away. Imagine what Rita Skeeter would do to me!"

Lavender nodded her head, agreeing with the dark haired teenager.

"When are you guys meeting?"

"Right after breakfast," answered Parvati, relieved at how well Lavender as taking this. Maybe she wasn't such a gossip head after all!

Lavender smiled, showing off her small, pearly white teeth. "Okay," she said, looking deep in thought. "That means we have…six hours to figure out what you are going to wear that will make Potter's glasses steam up."

Parvati grinned.

..::ooOOOoo::..

"Remember, Harry," said Hermione, back to her normal bossy self, "after your date with _her_ we're meeting _Snuffles_, okay?"

Harry nodded, his mouth feeling dry. He felt like he had before his first Quidditch match; not very hungry. Ron smirked into his porridge and Hermione smiled before her attention turned to the entryway of the Great Hall. He said in a slightly sour voice, "Oh, look, here _she_ comes now with _Miss Thang_ beside her."

Harry looked up to see Lavender Brown yelling at Seamus Finnegan, "Talk to the hand, Irish boy. This pretty face ain't listenin'. I am _not_ going on a date with you."

There was another very pretty girl walking beside her, catching the eyes of a few Ravenclaws nearby. It was only until she was within talking distance of Harry did he realise that the drop-dead-gorgeous girl was Parvati Patil.

Parvati smiled prettily, and Harry's brain seemed to go all fuzzy. "Are you ready to go, Harry?" she asked.


	8. The First Date

**A/N:**

**If you do not (and I do know ****many people do not) believe in astrology/divination, do not flame me going on about how it is a bunch of crap.** **I do not believe in it all that much, but as Parvati does, so that is why it is included in this fic. If you do flame me for this (which would be completely inconsiderate of you) prepare to be flamed back.** _Hell hath no fury like an author flamed for stupid reasons._

Otherwise, enjoy!

* * *

_Parvati smiled __prettily and Harry's brain seemed to go all fuzzy. "Are you ready to go, Harry?" she asked. _

Harry Potter was not, to be frank, a stupid boy. He was quite intelligent, in fact. But if one was looking for evidence of Harry James Potter's mental capabilities, this moment in which Parvati Patil was speaking to him would not be such a good time to do as such, for as the pretty witch addressed him Harry replied with something that sounded a lot like, "Um ugh bah."

Harry blinked a couple of times. He could not believe that _this_ was _Parvati_.

Of course, he had never really seen her without her school robes on, apart from the Yule Ball, so he reminded himself that he should have been prepared for her to look different. '_Wow' _was the only word that formed in Harry's mind. Parvati had denim jeans that had a sparkly print on them, along with a denim jacket and a plain white t-shirt. She had put some sparkly stuff in her hair and she had a huge smile on her face; that was what really had Harry in a spin.

Parvati's grin grew bigger as she replied with a laugh, "I'll take that as yes, then. C'mon, everyone's heading out now."

The two headed out down the path to the quaint village of Hogsmeade, purposely avoiding Seamus' catcalls and Ron's sniggers.

Harry and Parvati passed a few shops, stopping into a few (Honeydukes, where Parvati stocked up on chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, and Gladrags Wizardwear, where they spent a good fifteen minutes laughing at all the socks that Harry could buy Dobby the house elf as a thankyou present- some of them were even _flavoured_!) Eventually, they both decided to stop at the Three Broomsticks and have a drink.

The pub was not overcrowded in the slightest, and some Weird Sister music was playing in the background. Parvati and Harry occupied a table by the window, the sunlight pooling onto the table, making the glass from the Butterbeers that they had ordered from weird reflections on the wooden table. The atmosphere was light and friendly, making Parvati feel a little light headed. She could barely suppress a smile that was creeping its way up on her face, and she tried not to grin broadly and foolishly, although she could barely contain her excitement; she was on a date with _Harry Potter_! Her _boyfriend_!

"So…" started Harry awkwardly, "Nice weather."

The green-eyed-teen inwardly cursed himself. He was talking about the _weather_. _Why_ had he not asked Hermione about what to say?

"Yeah," agreed Parvati, smiling, thinking about the sunny but slightly windy conditions. "It's good for Austromancy. It's, erm, good Quidditch conditions, right?"

"Erm, yeah. So…you like Divination?"

"Yeah, it's interesting, you know, how the alignment of planets can tell you about the future. I…I notice you don't really like it much," replied Parvati.

Harry snorted, however did not disagree. In truth, he thought it was a load of bollocks, but Parvati liked it, so he might give it a chance.

_Might_.

"When a bat in outsize specs tells you every lesson that you're going to die, there's not much to really like about the subject, to be honest."

Parvati smiled wryly. "Trelawney does look like a bat, doesn't she? But I think she really does have the Sight."

Harry's mouth made a funny sort of twitch; obviously, he did not believe this. Parvati inwardly sighed, before nervously taking another swig of butterbeer. Were all first dates this uncomfortable? She would have to ask Lavender tonight.

"So…" Harry awkwardly started once again. "_Parvati_. Is that an Indian name?"

"Yes, after the Hindu goddess. My Dad was Indian."

Both of them fell silent until a few minutes later when Parvati spoke up.

"Hey, I've got an idea! Let's just ask questions back and forth, like, what's you favourite colour?'"

"Okay, then….erm…well, what's your favourite colour?"

"Pink, purple or blue. Yours?"

"Green or red."

"Favourite food?"

"Caesar Salad or chocolate frogs."

"Treacle tart. Yuck, how can you like Caesar salad?"

"I'm a vegetarian."

"You're kidding me!"

"Nope!"

"Wow, cool. So, do you hate the taste or hate animals being slaughtered?"

"Both, really, plus I was brought up just not eating a whole lot of meat."

"No wonder you're so thin," remarked Harry, to which Parvati scrunched up her nose, frowning but did not comment as Harry asked another question.

Harry faintly registered the customary _ding-ding_ of the Leaky Cauldron door being opened and tripping the bell, but did not think on it, he was having so much fun asking Parvati questions and answering hers.

"Well then, what's your most embarrassing moment?" asked Harry as Parvati laughed into her butterbeer after hearing that Harry had been mortified when his Aunt attempted to give him 'The Talk' earlier in the school holidays.

"Okay," said Parvati, trying to catch her breath and stop laughing, "Okay…Mine was when I was six years old, and Padma was trying to--"

"Oh, how lovely," came the familiar evil, singsong sweet voice of Rita Skeeter, who was standing in front of Harry and Parvati's table, sickly-green Quick Quill poised at the ready. "It seems you really _do_ have a way with the ladies, Harry."

Parvati frowned, seething; just being in the mere presence of this woman made Parvati mad! She gave off the _vilest_ vibe…

"Why don't you leave, Rita?" asked Harry through gritted teeth. "What I do is none of your business."

Rita's eyebrow arched, ad her mouth formed into a simpering smile. "On the contrary, Harry--" she began, before Parvati cut her off.

"What nail polish do you use?" she inquired loudly.

"What?" Skeeter asked, completely thrown by this question.

"I asked what nail polish you use, only because that 'banana yellow' polish is a _really_ tacky colour. Why do you wear it, exactly?"

Rita looked highly affronted. "That, _missy_, is none of your business--" she hissed, but Parvati cut her off once again.

"Just like Harry's life isn't _your_ business." She looked at Harry, who was looking at her with a mixture of pride and awe.

Harry then stood up, intertwining his hand with Parvati's, and gave Rita Skeeter a look of such loathing that Parvati almost shuddered as he said, "Goodbye, Rita. I hope that we _won't_ catch up again. C'mon, Parvati."

With those parting words, Harry left an infuriated _Daily Prophet_ reporter in his wake, leading Parvati out of the pub, holding her hand gently yet firmly.

They did not speak until they reached the outside of Honeydukes. Harry turned and faced his date, an odd look in his eye.

"I'm so sorry about that!" he cried sincerely. "She's probably going to print some horrible article about you now and I'm so sorry that-"

"HARRY! You're starting to babble."

"Oh, sorry."

"You've really got to stop apologising."

"Sor—okay."

Parvati smiled. "It was fun to tell her off; she's been horrid to you all year! Besides, it was about time she got a taste of her own medicine." The dark-haired girl then cocked her head to one side before saying quietly, "You really hate being famous, don't you? Being in the papers all the time?"

"Yeah," answered Harry somewhat forlornly, before something switched on in Harry's brain.

_Time_. Oh no, time! What time was it?!

He asked Parvati, but she did not have a watch.

"I could try and see if I could work it out from the sun's position…" Parvati feebly offered.

"_Hiya Harry!"_

Parvati let out a high-pitched yelp that sounded a lot like the boy who had just snuck up behind them.

"Colin!" cried Harry, blinking in confusion. "What are you, erm, doing here?"

"Getting sweets!" said Colin, holding up a bag of lollies. "Ooh, Harry, is this your _girlfriend_?!"

"I-err-well-yes," said Harry lamely. "Um, Colin, do you have the time?"

"Yup! It's two o'clock. Do you think I could take a picture of you two?" The third-years' eyes then grew wide. "_Kissing_?"

Parvati and Harry both blushed as they looked at each other.

"I'm sorry, Parvati, but I promised I'd meet Hermione and Ron at two," began Harry. "Um, I'll see you later, alright?"

Parvati's face fell. Harry was leaving? _Now_?

"Um, okay." Said Parvati, trying not to sound crushed. "Uhh, bye then."

Harry looked at Colin, who had his muggle camera ready, and then gave Parvati an odd look. She then noticed that his eyes were very green today. And as he leaned closer and closer, Parvati noticed just how green they really were until he closed his eyes, and she closed hers, and their lips met…

Colin's camera went off with a big white flash.

..::ooOOOoo::..

"Harry!" cried a familiar voice as the boy in question came closer towards three figures seated at the foot of a mountain situated in the wild countryside in Hogsmeade. Hermione, Ron, and Sirius Black were sitting outside a mountain cave, waving at Harry Potter in welcome.

Harry studied his godfather. He still looked ragged and thin, his black hair more matted than the last time Harry had see him, which had been at the end of his third year. Sirius was eagerly hewing into a chicken leg with his rotten teeth that Hermione had brought along, as well as other stolen food items from the kitchens. Harry could just see the black feathered wings of Buckbeak the Hippogriff.

"Hello, Harry," said Sirius with a wink. "How was your date?"

Harry was caught completely off guard by this question and embarrassingly stammered, "F-Fine, th-thanks."

"Th-Th-Th-Th-That well, huh?" mocked Ron, grinning broadly, ducking as Harry picked up a chicken bone and threw it at Ron's head, missing him by inches.

"Oh, don't tease him, Ron," admonished Hermione, smiling wickedly at Harry. "That's my job. Did you give her a kiss goodbye?"

"A ladies man, just like James…" Sirius muttered, chuckling to himself.

Ron made a face. "Yuck! I don't want to know if he played tonsil hockey with Parvati!"

Harry's face flushed horribly in mortification, and Sirius gave a barking laugh.

Harry, face still red, narrowed his eyes at Ron and retorted, "Says the guy who thought that the Care Of Magical Creatures textbook said that it would help them to work with magical breasts."

Ron's ears turned red, Sirius choked on his chicken and Hermione fell to the floor, laughing so much she had tears in her eyes.

"Did you tell Sirius about Crouch?" asked Harry of his two best friends, desperate to change the subject.

"Yeah," confirmed Hermione. "And we found out something interesting. Did you know Crouch had a son?"

..::ooOOOoo::..

* * *

**A/N:** I would love it if anyone could offer some constructive criticism on my writing style/technique. Please do review! 

The '_magical breasts_' thing is something **Mrs Clare Malfoy** suggested I put in after I misread an explanation on the HPLexicon. Just to clarify, it said _magical beasts_.

**Tanydwr**, a few chapters ago, expressed their opinion on Parvati being concerned about her weight. From personal experience, as well as my other friends- even when you are a size eight, you still can hate your body. Sigh, the troubles of teenagers.

Austromancy, a form of aeromancy in divination, is scrying on the winds. Scrying, for those who do not know, is a magical practice that allows you to see things 'supernaturally' through a medium, like a crystal ball, mirror, blade, or water.

_ZOMG? Wibble? Squee? Meloves!_ _This sucks! _Whatever your reaction, review!


	9. Time Is Ticking Away

**A/N: **Thank you to my lovely readers and reviewers! This chapter was updated on the 22/10/10.

* * *

Parvati Patil knocked on the ageing wooden door using the eagle shaped knocker. The musical voice hissed from the door, but Parvati was not startled by it in the slightest; she had entered the Ravenclaw common room countless times.

"_In a popular muggle play, what are dreamers said to often do_?"

Parvati frowned at the question, the shook her head. Trust Ravenclaw's to pick some obscure thing that no one else would get!

"Dream?" supplied Parvati feebly, before quick saying, "No, no…that's stupid…can I guess once more?"

The musical voice seemed to sigh. "_You may, child_."

Alas, Parvati was stumped. She racked her brains for something…what muggle play said something about dreams? They only one she had ever seen had been Beauty and The Beast! Maybe she should just wait for someone else to come…

"What was the question?" came a familiar voice from behind the brunette. Parvati spun around to see Anthony Goldstein, Padma's best friend standing behind her, carrying a large number of books and a lop-sided smile on his face.

"Hey, Parvati," he greeted, before asking again, "What's the question? It's never the same one."

"Oh!" said Parvati, realising that he'd let her in. "It was, 'In a popular muggle play, what do dreamers do, or something…"

"Hmmm," murmured Anthony, frowning in thought. His gaze then locked onto the eagle knocker as he answered, "Lie?"

"_Correct_," answered the musical voice, and Parvati pulled on the handle, letting Anthony, laden with his many heavy books pass before standing on the threshold of the Ravenclaw Common room.

Unfortunately, Parvati didn't have time to admire her surroundings, for she was forced to the ground by her twin sister who had engulfed her in a massive hug.

"PARVATI!" shrieked Padma.

"Padma, get off me, you idiot!" said Parvati, laughing. Padma backed up, grinning.

"It's good to see you again, haven't seen you in ages!"

Parvati quirked an eyebrow. "You saw me at breakfast."

Padma rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So, little sis, were you ever going to tell me that you're going out with Harry Potter?"

"Of course-"

"I mean, Lavender knew before me. You'd think you'd let your own sister know first, but I guess not…"

Parvati squirmed guiltily until Padma laughed, mirth sparkling in her brown eyes.

"I'm just messing with you," said Padma, grinning again. Parvati tried to whack her sister over the head, but missed as she ducked.

"Too quick for you, little sis."

"Shut it."

"Never."

"Argh! You're so annoying…"

"You know you love me."

Parvati sighed, smiling as she sat on the floor next to her sister. Lavender was the best friend Parvati could ever ask for, but nothing could beat her twin sister. They knew each inside out, and had been through everything together- Padma was who Parvati really looked up to. When Parvati meant they had been through everything, she meant _everything_; From when they were three years old and got their ears pierced to when Daddy had died and they had both cried and hugged each other, to when Padma needed help with her Divination homework ("Useless subject," Padma would say, "Don't even know why I picked it!") or Parvati needed help with a Potions essay ("No," Padma would scold her twin, "You cannot write 'bubble bubble toil and trouble' on your essay!"). Not matter how much they bickered, they would never not want to be sisters.

"I suppose I do," answered Parvati, before changing the subject. "Sorry about - you know- not telling you about Harry. I just got so caught up-"

"Please spare the mushy details, Par."

_Par_. It was a better nickname than _Pav_.

"_Okay_, _okay_, sparing you."

"Just _one_ question; is he a good kisser?" teased Parvati's older twin.

Parvati grinned broadly.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Padma, happy for her sister. "But what about that French guy?"

Parvati frowned, confused. "Who?"

"You know, whats-his-name…blonde hair…."

"Such vivid descriptions."

"Oh, shut it, you! Anyways, he thought I was you- but he told me to tell you that if he sees you, he'd love to see you again."

_Blonde hair…Oh! Him!_

"You mean Luc?"

"That's the one!" cried Padma, snapping her fingers.

Parvati thought about what had just been said. She didn't particularly want to see that smarmy git.

"Padma?" called Anthony Goldstein, leaning over his large pile of books, his silver framed glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose. "What's the date today?"

"Erm…it's the eighteenth." supplied Padma, playing with a lock of her long, brown hair.

The Eighteenth…

"Oh, thanks," replied Anthony, resuming his attention on his books.

"It's the eighteenth?" inquired Parvati, double checking with her sister.

Padma nodded.

"Then tomorrow's the nineteenth."

"Yup."

Parvati sighed. Obviously Padma wasn't paying much attention.

"It's Dad's anniversary tomorrow, Padma."

Padma blinked a couple of times. "Oh," she said, her voice sounding oddly distant. Then heaving a big sigh she said rather duly, "Well, we'll have to send mum a letter, won't we."

"Yeah. Saying something nice."

"You could tell about Harry, that might cheer her up," suggested Padma.

However, Parvati did not concur. "Nah," she replied, "it might just make her sadder, hearing about me being with someone when she doesn't have Dad anymore."

There was an awkward silence between the both of them, which was quite the contrast in comparison to the loud and bustling Ravenclaw common room. Everyone was either loudly debating about some big magical theory, or telling jokes, or eating sweets, or doing homework.

It seemed an age before Parvati plucked up the courage to speak again.

"How old would he have been?"

Padma quickly did that math in her head. "Thirty-seven."

"Maybe we should send her some flowers."

"Or chocolate."

"Or Liquorice."

Parvati was not referring to the sweet, however. She was referring to Padma's adorable black cat. Padma gave her sister a dubious look.

"You expect me to send Liquorice to mum?"

"What?" cried Parvati defensively. "Mum loves that thing."

"Liquorice is not a thing, Par, he's my baby kitty," retorted Padma in a sulky voice, before adding quickly, "And I will not have a owl sinking its talons into my precious Liquorice!"

"Fine, fine," said Parvati, defeated. "I suppose a letter will do…"

Padma snapped her fingers again, a habit she had picked from their Dad. She did whenever she got an idea, or remembered something.

"You know what happened today?" she questioned rhetorically. "Moody took me aside after class and said he used to know Daddy, or something…then Moody went kind of crazy, which I suppose is normal, because the man, even though rather brilliant, is completely off his rocker…anyways, he kind of went in this bitter tone about how Daddy helped catch all these prominent You-Know-Who supporters, like the Lestranges and Sirius Black and Crouch and the Carrow's and Dolohov…he kept rattling off all these names. Anyways, he then said, _guess what_, he said _I'd _make a great _auror_! He said I've got the right brains for it. Moody mentioned you too, said you've got the right spirit for it, or something or rather…"

Parvati blinked a couple of times before saying quite loudly, "Padma, you're rambling."

Padma blushed. "Oh, sorry."

Parvati smiled. "That's alright. Hey, I've got to be getting back though, I think Lavender is expecting me to tell her every single little thing bout my date."

Padma smiled back. "Okay. See you later, then!"

Parvati and Padma both stood up ad hugged each other goodbye before breaking apart. They then made a fist, punched them together, clicked their fingers, slapped each others hand and made a 'Whoo!' noise.

It was their secret, rather lame handshake they had made up when they were seven.

Parvati then headed back to Gryffindor. Hopefully Lavender would be asleep, and Parvati would wait up for Harry to come back from the Triwizard meet, where he would be told what the next and final task would be…

__

..::ooOOOoo:::..

Parvati was a little more than surprised to find Lavender waiting for Parvati up in her dorm, with a small chocolate cake.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" Lavender cried, giggling.

"For what?" asked Parvati, flabbergasted.

"You, my friend, have passed the one week record of dating!"

"One week- _what_?"

"You and Harry have been dating for more than one week- that's a huge thing for us teenagers, 'cause our relationships usually fade out after one week. So I thought we'd celebrate with this cake!"

"Low-fat?" whined Parvati, remembering the last time Lavender had brought cake in the dorm (when a fifth year had dumped her after they had been going out for two days). "Yuck, you know those things taste awful…"

Something then struck Parvati; Lavender was eating a non-low-fat cake. Something 'big' had obviously happened. Had someone turned her down?

"Lav, what's up?"

Parvati expected her best friend's eyes to shine with tears, and then to blubber on about some guy, but instead Lavender just got a huge smile on her face before taking a piece of the cake for herself and then handing one to Parvati.

"I got a letter from my parents today," she said happily. "I'm going to have a baby brother or sister soon!"

Parvati dropped her piece of cake into her lap, her eyes wide with shock. "Your mum's pregnant?" she shrieked.

"Yeah," replied Lavender, "Three months. At first I was totally happy, thinking, like, you know, "I'm gonna have a baby brother or sister!", but then it kind of came to me…" Lavender dropped her voice a few octaves before saying, "…my _parents_ had _sex._"

"Ew!" said the two best friends in unison.

"Yeah," said Lavender giggling. "So I bought this cake. Not that I wasn't going to celebrate you and Harry's relationship, either!"

"It's really good cake," commented Parvati thickly around a mouthful of cake.

"Mmmm," said Lavender incoherently, nodding. "So, honey, how'd your date go?"

"Good! We talked and stuff, which was nice…"

"Did he get to second base?" asked Lavender.

"NO!" cried Parvati. "Lavender- how could- why- you- he- I-" she spluttered, and the pretty brunette raised her hands in defense.

"Hey, all I know is that he's a boy. And what I've learnt from eavesdropping around their dorm, all Seamus and stuff talk about are girls and wanking."

Parvati screamed. "Lavender, I DO _NOT_ WANT TO THINK ABOUT SEAMUS FINNEGAN _WANKING_!"

It was just at that very moment tat their fellow dorm mate Hermione Granger walked in. Hermione seemed to be physically repulsed by Parvati's words, because she took a step back before making her way over to her bed.

"I don't want to even know what you guys are talking about," she muttered, loud enough for the two girls to hear.

"We were talking about Harry and Pav's date," answered Lavender, as if she had not heard Hermione.

Hermione grabbed a book from her nightstand - _Hogwarts: A History _- and flipped open the cover before saying idly, "Yes, Harry said he had a good time…"

"He did?" questioned Parvati, her heart inflated with hope.

"Yes," replied Hermione, before asking, "What's the cake for?"

"Celebrating Harry and I staying together for more than a week," answered the Hindi girl. "And Lavender's mum's having a baby."

"Oh, really? Congratulations, Lavender!" said Hermione sincerely, looking up from her book. The bushy-haired witch's face then took on a slight confused look.

"So," the bookworm started, "you're celebrating that Harry and Parvati have been dating for more than a week?"

"Yup," replied Lavender.

Hermione still looked confused. "Sorry," she confessed, "But to me, it just seems a little silly. I mean, it's not like you're getting married to him."

Parvati frowned. "So?"

"Well..." started Hermione, closing her book and placing it beside her. She then looked right into Parvati's brown eyes as she spoke. "I mean, in all reality, how long are you two going to last? A couple of weeks, months maybe? I mean, we're teenagers; isn't all that we feel only puppy love? You guys would have to be pretty much fated to be together to last for the rest of your life."

Hermione's words hit Parvati full force. She hadn't thought about Harry and her not lasting! It just seemed so right!

Parvati abandoned her cake and ran out of her dorm, out the common room door and towards the Divination tower.

She had to know - would her relationship with Harry Potter last?

_

* * *

___

A/N:_ 'Dreamers Often Lie' _is taken from a line Mercutio says in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. _'Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble' _comes from Shakespeare's Macbeth.

__

Read? Review!


	10. The Final Task Part 1

**Updated 22/10/10 **This chapter is dedicated to **JennyJ, **who loves this story almost as much as I do! Thanks to Johann who picked up a canon/consistency error.

**Warning:** The end of this chapter contains a scene that implies abduction of a female. Please be cautious if this notion insults, offends or upsets you in any way. Discretion is advised. Thank you.

* * *

**The Final Task Part 1**

Harry Potter picked at the grass he was sitting on, heaving a sigh. For the last half an hour he and the other three Triwizard Tournament Champions had been sitting on the Quidditch Pitch, bored stiff. They had been called down there to be told of what the third and final task would be about, and had met with a most amazing sight.

The Quidditch pitch was overgrown! It had hedges so high Harry truly wondered if they did touch the clouds. Upon seeing the hedges, Cedric Diggory had quietly muttered whether the next task was the trim the monstrous things. Cedric obviously wasn't too happy about his Quidditch pitch destroyed; and in all fairness, neither was Harry, but he was more eager to have done with the tournament than anything else was.

At present, Cedric's grey eyes were following a line of ants that were scurrying over his shoes, flicking his wand every so often, making the ants change colours, Viktor Krum was watching some of his fellow Durmstrang students consort flirt with some Beauxbatons beauties and Fleur was tapping her foot impatiently. It was dark, and the torches had been lit in the corridors. The wind whipped Harry's back, and he suddenly wished he had brought his robe, or a jacket. It was freezing!

"Can't zey 'urry up?" The French girl moaned impatiently, "Eet is so cold!"

As though Fleur's wish had been granted, Ludo Bagman appeared, dashing around the corner. His bright orange and blue Quidditch robes flared out behind him as he dashed towards the group.

Bagman cracked a large smile towards Harry before he exclaimed, "Hello, you four!"

A general murmur of greetings answered the ex-Quidditch star before he continued to speak.

"Hagrid's grown these beauties quite nicely, hasn't he?" Ludo continued, patting a hedge fondly. "Don't worry," he hastily added to Cedric and Harry, "You'll get your pitch back in no time."

Ludo winked at Harry, and the green-eyed-teenager suppressed a groan.

"Now," beamed Bagman, "Can anyone guess what we have here?"

"It's a maze," grunted Krum.

"Correct, Mr Krum, correct! This third task is quite straightforward, really; full marks will be rewarded to the Champion who touches the Triwizard cup first, which is in the middle of the maze."

"That's it?" inquired Harry. "We just walk through the maze?"

"Oh, no, Harry," clarified Bagman, "Hagrid will be providing some, ah, creatures…"

Harry suddenly pictured himself facing a Blast-Ended Screwt, and his heart fell a little.

"…and there will be jinxes and other spells and such to get passed. First, Mr Diggory and Potter will enter the maze, as they are tied with the most points, then Mr Krum and finally Miss Delacour. However, you will all have the same chance of winning, what with the obstacles being your way. If you haven't got any questions, I'd say it was time for you all to get to your rooms!"

After wishing each other good luck and goodnight, the four Champions returned to their chambers.

Harry slowly made his way back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Harry!" someone called from behind him, his or her voice echoing in the corridor. Harry spun around to see Padma Patil, slightly out of breath, standing right in front of him.

Padma put a hand on Harry's shoulder, trying to regain her breath before admitting rather abruptly, "I'm glad you're dating my sister, Harry. Just thought I'd, you know, let you know."

"So am I," replied Harry, unable to conceal his grin.

Padma then patted his shoulder before her smile grew as she threatened, "Hurt her, potter, and I will kill you."

Padma then flounced away, leaving a slightly scared Harry Potter in her wake.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati dashed up the snaking staircase and past the snoozing portrait of Sir Cadogan (who was almost snoring his way out of his frame) towards the Divination classroom. Finally, she stumbled up the spiral staircase and ran straight into the classroom, bits of hair flying into her mouth and panting.

Professor Trelawney was seated at her desk, swirling a cup clockwise of what Parvati presumed to be tealeaves, her back turned to the new arrival. Professor Trelawney started to turn the cup counter clockwise as she declared, "Shut the door behind you, my dear Parvati."

Slightly surprised that her teacher knew it was she, Parvati obediently shut the trap door.

"Take a seat," ordered the teacher yet again in her mystical, dreamy voice. Parvati did so, sniffing as she became aware of the smell of cooking sherry.

Professor Trelawney turned to face her pupil. She set the cup down before taking a deep, dramatic breath and preached.

"The Inner Eye sees all, my dear. I know of what you need to ask me."

Parvati just dumbly nodded as her teacher pressed on.

"I can tell you only one thing."

The brown-haired-teenager's heart started to race as she began a silent mantra, _please say we'll stay together, please say we'll stay together…  
_

"I can tell you that there is a great aura of destiny from both you and Harry Potter, and to heed this warning; _fates like to meddle_."

Parvati's eyes widened. What did she mean by this?

Professor Trelawney turned back to her teacup before saying, "Do close the door on the way out. Oh! And, my dear…"

Parvati raised her head. She did not like that tone in Trelawney's voice.

"…if something _does_ happen, do not hesitate to tell me."

Parvati shook her poor, confused head. She had come in with questions but was leaving with more. As she made her slow journey down the winding staircase, Parvati wondered.

_What could possibly happen?_

Shrugging it off, Parvati walked slowly back to her dorm, stalling. She had a potions essay due tomorrow; that night was the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Parvati was certain that Professor Snape had done this on purpose, just so the Gryffindor's could not celebrate before the task.

A smile abruptly lit Parvati's face. Once she had finished her essay, maybe she and Harry could spend some time together…

Brightening up at this idea, Parvati Patil skipped the way back to Gryffindor Tower, Trelawneys' warning the furthest thing from her mind.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati stared hopelessly at the blank bit of parchment before her, sighing.

Parvati hated potions.

She hated essays.

She hated Snape.

He was such a greasy haired _git_!

She sighed again before scribbling a fancy title for her soon-to-be-one-thousand-word-essay: THE USE OF SCARAB BEETLES IN POTIONS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

_Scarab beetles play a vital roll-_

"Damn it!" swore Parvati. That word did not look right- she had so much trouble with words that sounded the same but were spelt differently and meant different things. Parvati was perfectly fine with using 'intellectual' words- after all, her sister was in Ravenclaw- therefore, Parvati had brains too, although because she hung out with Lavender, who was not the brightest.

"Hermione?" she inquired hesitantly. Parvati wiggled her legs out from underneath her, making her more comfortable as she sat on her four-poster bed. Parvati's robe was strewn haphazardly on the edge of her bed, and her tie undone.

Hermione, who seemed to be on her second roll of parchment, looked up, quill poised in hand. "Yes?"

"How do you spell 'role'?"

"In what context?" Hermione questioned. "Like, a bread roll, or an actor plays the role of a character…?"

"The second one, I think."

"R-O-L-E."

"Thanks!"

Hermione just smiled quickly before hurrying back to scratching away at her essay, muttering something about homonyms.

Par continued to write. _…a vital role in potion making. These creatures, more commonly known as the dung beetle, are…_

Parvati felt like stabbing her quill through the parchment. Why did essays have to be so tedious?

Her eyebrows quirked, Parvati then scribbled on parchment, _WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SO BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING?_

Parvati stared at the parchment for a while, as if some answer would magically manifest itself.

Soon enough, Parvati started to find herself distracted with her thoughts of- what else?- her very hot boyfriend.

_Harry + Parvati_, she wrote, _equals_ _LOVE_

Smiling serenely at the thought of Harry, with his eyes, and his hair…yes, well, she continued to scrawl for several minutes...

"Parvati? What _are_ you doing?"

Hermione was frowning at her classmate. Parvati's dreamy look vanished as she blushed and dropped her quill.

"N-nothing," she answered lamely, scrambling to pick up her quill and hide her essay from view.

The busy-haired witch's frown deepened, but she did not say anything again. Parvati seized the moment and dashed down into the common room.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry slid into his favourite armchair by the fire, trying to rid himself of his anxiety. He strung his book bag over the armrest. It was only one more night, and then all of this would be over…

"Harry, there you are!"

Harry turned to see Hermione making her way over to him. She plopped herself into the armchair opposite him. "I've been meaning to tell you something…"

"What?" questioned Harry, concerned. Hermione's tone was serious.

"Well," answered his friend, "tomorrow is the day Parvati's dad died, the anniversary of his death."

Cheers of jubiliation interrupted the sullen moment; Ron had just beaten Seamus (yet again) at Wizard's chess.

Harry didn't really know how to reply to this, so he just nodded. Hermione sighed.

"What?" snapped Harry, irritated. "It's not like anyone cares the day my parents died. They're too busy trick or treating!"

Hermione's face fell. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, I just never-"

"-Realised?" Harry sighed. "Look, never mind…" He didn't want to start a fight now, not just before the last task. "…I'll talk to Parvati about it tomorrow, okay? Happy?"

"Yes."

A moment of silence passed between them before Hermione rushed over and hugged Harry tightly.

"I truly am sorry, Harry." she said softly, her voice full of emotion. "I've been a horrible friend by never rem-"

"It's okay, Hermione," reassured Harry, patting her back awkwardly, wishing Hermione wouldn't hug him so tight and that her hair wasn't so bushy. He could hardly see as his vision so obscured by her hair.

Hermione finally let go, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before mumbling how she had an essay to finish. Harry frowned before rummaging through his book bag, searching.

At last, he found a rather crumpled piece of parchment; his potions essay. Luckily, Harry had finished it nights ago, (although all he had written was some rubbish about scarab beetles that he was pretty sure didn't make sense, but not that he cared), finally taking advice from Hermione so he could have more time to practice for the final Triwizard task. Harry rather reluctantly got up from the chair and made his way across the common room, only to bump into his girlfriend, Parvati Patil.

"Hi!" he said brightly.

"Hi," replied Parvati, whose cheeks seemed to be red. "Oh! Is that your potions essay?"

"Yeah," replied Harry, "I was just about to hand it in."

"Hey, so am I," lied Parvati, wanting an excuse to spend some time with her boyfriend. "Walk with you?"

"Sure," said Harry, and the two of them walked out of common room holding hands, ignoring the catcalls ( _'You're in, Harry!'_ from Seamus) and wolf whistles that followed them as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung closed.

The halls were empty, and it didn't take very long before Parvati had her hands in Harry's hair, finding new places to kiss and Harry's hands were on her back and his glasses askew as he placed butterfly kisses on her neck.

Parvati took a quick look at Harry's smiling face and giggled at his lopsided glasses.

"_Shut up,_" he said gently as he smiled, his hands finding her long hair.

"_Never,_" Parvati whispered teasingly, giggling some more until Harry's lips found hers again, his tongue slipped into her mouth, and Parvati decided that French kissing was everything Lavender said it was and more…

"Who's there, my sweet? _Catch them_…"

Parvati pulled herself from Harry, her eyes wide as she whispered, "Filch is coming!"

Harry groaned, trying to get Parvati closer to him again. "C'mon," he whispered in her ear, "Let him catch us..."

Parvati shivered, but firmly said, "No. Come one, Harry," she said, laughing again, grabbing his hand, "We've got to get out of here…"

Harry complied, letting Parvati lead him as they raced down the halls, their laughter echoing as they revelled in the thrill of the chase.

A sudden hiss came from below Parvati's feet and she looked down and screamed; Mrs Norris, the caretaker's cat was circling her feet.

_Oh, Merlin! They were going to be caught for sure!_

"…Found them, have you, my sweet?" came Filch's wheezing voice.

Harry pulled his girlfriend towards a nearby portrait of a witch playing the flute and pulled it aside, revealing a concealed cupboard-like space. Harry pushed her in and said urgently, "Stay here until he leaves!"

Parvati didn't have time to react of reply, for Filch had found Harry.

"Ah-ha!" the caretaker wheezed, "You're caught after curfew, boy…"

Harry said nothing.

"What you doin' out here after curfew, then?"

"Handing in my potions essay," Harry said easily.

"Then why are your glasses all funny?"

Parvati swore silently.

"Really bad frames," Parvati heard Harry lie weakly, "Need to get 'em fixed…"

Apparently, Filch did not believe this, because the ugly caretaker was dragging Parvati out of her hiding spot a split second later.

Parvati gulped as Harry readjusted his spectacles. "We really were just going to hand in our potions essays, sir…" she explained, showing her parchment as proof. Filch nodded a couple of times before looking at them both.

"You," he said, grabbing Harry's arm roughly, "Can come with me."

"And you," he continued, pointing towards Parvati, "Can go hand in your essay, and then go straight back to your common room."

Harry gave a brief smile before being dragged away by Filch for punishment.

..::ooOOOoo::..

A few minutes later, Parvati was walking back from Snape's office, where she had slid her essay under the door, where Professor Snape would find it in the morning.

Parvati stopped dead in her tracks, her brown tresses swinging forwards.

She had handed in her essay.

_She had handed in her essay with Harry's name all over it!_

The brown haired witch gave a small, audible yelped before running back down towards Professor Snape's office, her mind racing. How was she going to get her essay ba-

Suddenly, as quick and bright as lightning, Parvati observed a strange scene before her; it wavered, glowed and rippled ever so slightly, reminding Parvati strongly of a pool of water. Cloaked by moonlight, there was Harry, bounded by ropes and smeared with blood and rich earth, and a black, cloaked figure with hands like spiders and eyes that gleamed scarlet…

The vision went as quickly as it came, rippling out of Parvati's peripherals until it was completely gone; it took moments before the realisation of what had just happened really struck.

Parvati Patil had just had a vision of the future.

As quick as the vision had been, thoughts sprung to Parvati's mind. Something was going to happen to Harry! She could feel it, as if something deep inside her_knew_ that what Parvati had just witnessed was going to happen.

The brown-eyed girl seemed to be at a crossroads; should she race to tell Harry what was destined for him, or tell Professor Trelawney about her vision, or should she tell Dumbledore, the wisest and most powerful wizard she knew? Where should she go, what should she do? Her thoughts were whirling around her head a million times faster than deemed possible, but her legs did not seem to be able to move, so frozen by shock and her voice seemed to be lost within her perplexity and astonishment. Her breathing became heavy as her thoughts became clearer

_She had to tell -_

_She had to warn _-

A gnarled hand covered Parvati's mouth, the arm coming from behind her; another well-worn hand covered over Parvati's eyes. Before Parvati could react, magical words were whispered, and she knew no more.


	11. The Final Task Part 2

**Updated 6/12/09.**

**Warning:** This chapter contains character death, abduction of a female, direct intent and mild (if you can call any type of torture mild) physical torture. Please be cautious and do not read if you find these notions offend, upset or insult you in anyway. Although these situations are not described in gross detail, discretion is advised. Thank you.

...::ooOOOoo::.. indicates a scene break.

* * *

"Morning, Harry!" called Ron, his mouth half full of toast as the green-eyed teenager made his way towards the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

Harry ruffled his hair as he let out a yawn. "Morning," he replied sleepily to Ron.

"Good morning, Hermione," he added to the bushy-haired witch before sitting in between Neville and Dean.

Hermione smiled in response before shoving a plate of toast under his nose. "Toast, Harry?" she offered.

"Thanks," Harry said, taking a piece. Neville grinned at Harry before asking, "A-are you nervous, Harry? About the final task?"

Harry didn't have time to answer, as Cedric had come up to Harry and said in a rush, "The teachers want all the champions to meet them in the hall in ten minutes, or some other rubbish. Bye!"

Harry yawned again before saying, "Good morning to you too, Cedric," at the Hufflepuff's retreating form.

Dean grinned at Harry, who again had yawned. "I take you and Parvati were out for quite a while last night; everyone had gone to bed and you weren't back yet…."

Harry laughed nervously.

"We got caught by Filch, and he made Parvati go back to the dorm and I had to listen to him ramble about good-for-nothing students for an hour and a half; _that's_ why I'm so tired."

Dean nodded appreciatively. "Sometimes I wonder if Binns and Filch are related; they both rave on..."

Ron frowned, looking to be seriously contemplating the matter. "Now that's a weird concept," he muttered.

Hermione, beside the redhead, was frowning too. "Harry," she said, as though confused, "Parvati didn't come back before you."

Lavender Brown, who was eating her muesli, leaned forward. "Not that I'm trying to make anyone nervous, but Parvati wasn't in her bed this morning."

Dean laughed. "What, do you think she's been kidnapped or something?"

Seamus, who has just stumbled into the great hall (he was _not_ a morning person) mumbled, "Snape probably has her locked up in the dungeons."

Hermione rolled her eyes as Lavender said, "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about…she's probably visiting Trelawney or something; she goes up the tower fairly often."

"Harry?"

The black-haired boy turned around to see Viktor, Cedric and Fleur standing before him.

"We've got to go meet our teachers down at the Quidditch Pitch," Cedric continued. "We'll be there all day, so you better say your goodbyes and stuff now."

Harry turned around to face his friends. "Good luck," chorused Neville, Dean and Seamus.

"Break a leg," the Irish boy added with a cheeky smile.

"Best of luck, Harry," offered Lavender, hugging him quickly without thinking as she said, "I'll get Pav and we'll see you down there!"

Harry nodded and turned to Hermione and Ron. Hermione looked to be nearly in tears and Ron's face was pale.

"Oh, Harry!" cried Hermione, flinging her arms around him. "You'll be safe, won't you?" she mumbled into his shoulder before letting go.

"Of course, Hermione," assured Harry as he grasped Ron's hand.

"Good luck, mate," wished Ron.

"Come on, 'Arry," said Fleur, and Harry rose out of his seat, the four Champions making their way out of the hall.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Cedric chuckled at Harry before saying, "You look as nervous as I feel." Harry smiled weakly in return. _You're worrying about nothing!_ Harry inwardly scolded himself. _Parvati's just probably at the Divination tower, like Lavender said…_

"I as vell am also nervous," added Viktor. Apparently, the other champions thought Harry was nervous about the task. The green-eyed-teen decided to just stop worrying about his girlfriend for the moment and try to relax; he did not want to be too hyped up before the maze.

"At least it weel be over soon," commented Fleur, as they reached the Pitch and headed into the tent labelled 'CHAMPIONS'. "I cannot wait unteel I get back 'ome."

Cedric had a wicked look in his eyes. "Judging by the way Roger Davies was talking to you, I didn't think you wanted to leave!"

Fleur's cheeks tinged a pretty pink as she swatted Cedric on the arm. "Cedreec!" she shrieked as Harry grinned and Viktor let out a deep chuckle.

Madam Maxine stuck her head in the tent. "Fleur?" she questioned. "What 'as 'appened? Is sometheeng wrong?"

"_Non_, _non_," said Fleur in a rush as Cedric now slid off his chair onto the floor, laughing, "_Ce n'est pas grave ;_ It does not matter !" she affirmed quickly.

The exceedingly tall teacher frowned, but nevertheless went away.

Harry wondered aloud; "Cedric, how do you know Bill?"

"He was in his seventh year when I was I first," explained Cedric offhandedly. "Saved me from detention one day."

All of a sudden, Ludo Bagman popped his head in.

"Hello, again, you four," he said, chipper. "I'm just here to tell you that you need to get out there; only ten minutes remaining, you know! Good luck, Harry," he added with a wink before leaving as quickly as he had come.

Cedric quirked an eyebrow before whispering, "I think he fancies you, Harry!"

It was Fleur's turn to laugh now, although she quickly sobered, and fear darted across her face before she pulled the three boys into a hug. Harry wondered where the French girl got her strength.

"Good luck," she whispered, "all of you."

Ludo Bagman made his way into the tent, an excited gleam in his eyes. "Come on, now! The Task is about to commence!"

..::ooOOOoo::..

Lavender flopped into her seat in the Quidditch stands next to Seamus and a gaping Ron.

"What's up with him?" she asked Seamus.

"He's upset because his pitch has become Greenhouse number five."

Having spotted Lavender, Hermione asked, "Did you find Parvati?"

Lavender looked to be on the verge of tears. "No!" she half-sobbed. "I looked everywhere!"

"Did you try the infirmary?"

Lavender nodded.

"Maybe we should tell a teach-"

Hermione was cut off, however, by a loud horn being blown.

"WELCOME!" boomed Ludo Bagman's voice as Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum walked out onto the start of the maze, "TO THE THIRD AND FINAL TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT TASK!

As the crowd cheered, Bagman gave a short blast of his whistle, and Harry ran into the maze, Cedric hot on his heels.

It seemed like an age before the next whistle blew, signalling that Krum had entered, and then Fleur. Harry and Cedric ran side by side for a good ten minutes or so until they reached a fork in the road.

Cedric's grey eyes darted back and forth before going right. Harry sighed before running down the left path.

Sometime later, Harry slowed down to a brisk walk. So far, he had not come across any sort of monsters.

Harry heard a bush rustle, but decided that it was just the wind blowing. It was only when a Dementor appeared before him that he decided to revaluate. The awful creature started to glide out of the dense fog that surrounded the maze towards Harry.

"Dementor?" he gasped. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he cried, and a silver stag darted out of his wand and chased after the Dementor. However, the Dementor did not yield.

"Hang on," said Harry more to himself than the Dark creature, "you're a Boggart! _Riddikulus!"_

Panting, Harry continued to make his way through the maze. After a number of sharp turns, Harry whispered, "Point Me," to his wand. He headed straight ahead.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati groaned. Her head was throbbing painfully. She slowly opened her eyes to see Mad Eye Moody standing above her, his fake eye whizzing around in it socket, making her feel sick.

"Professor?" she asked weakly. The man just grinned wickedly. It was then that Parvati looked down and saw golden, magical ropes binding her middle to the wooden chair she had been seated upon. She knew these ones; these were unbreakable ropes…_what was going on here?  
_  
"Make sure she doesn't escape," Moody said to a figure behind him, fiddling with his wand. Parvati's dizziness became even more pronounced as she saw whom he was talking to.

_Luc._

"I weel make sure of eet," the Beauxbatons boy replied evilly, his French accent heavy. His eyes were slightly out of focus.

Moody walked towards the door, each step pronounced with the heavy _clunk_ of his wooden leg.

Moody raised his wand again. "And make sure that no one comes in this room but I."

Luc's out-of-focus eyes suddenly became right again. "As you weesh," he said.

Parvati gulped as Moody exited. She knew exactly what spell Luc was under;

The Imperius Curse.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry cursed. Ten minutes ago, he had thought the worst thing he would have to face was a Boggart. Staring hopelessly down at his singed clothes, Harry vowed to have a serious talk to Hagrid about his Blast-Ended Screwts.

Over the other side of the right hedge, someone screamed; _Cedric_.

Hit by sudden adrenaline, Harry powered on, darting roots that tried to grab his ankles.

"Cedric!" he cried.

Icy tendrils seemed to envelope Harry's heart as he saw what Cedric had screamed about; directly above him was the largest spider Harry had ever seen; even bigger than Aragog.

Cedric was clinging to a nearby hedge, a long gash across his chest. His shirt was smeared with blood.

But it was too late; one of the gargantuan arachnid's pincers had cut through Harry's left leg, and its leg had caught in Harry's sock. Before he knew it, Harry was dangling high in the air.

The spider shook Harry off, and the fourteen-year-old landed on the ground. He heard a terrible, sickening crack, and a moan of pain escaped Harry's lips as he stared down at his left ankle; it was definitely broken.

He looked to where Cedric was, hoping to ask for some help. However, Cedric was not looking at Harry at all; he was staring at a golden cup.

_The Triwizard Cup…_

..::ooOOOoo::..

Luc, who Parvati was sure was hypnotised by one of Moody's spells, seemed to be true to his word. After another hour of waiting (there was a strange looking clock on the wall), Parvati realised her plans to escape would be futile. She couldn't break the ropes and she didn't have her wand; all she could do was hope that someone noticed her missing and wait until they would rescue her. She also realised that it would not do to worry about Harry and tried to think of more pleasant things that what was happening to her boyfriend…Her heart still racing Parvati realised that she needed to calm down. She thought back to her parents, her sister, her home, her sanctuary, love…where everything was safe and warm and she was a little girl and not here…

Parvati and her sister Padma were five years old; it was a couple of months before Daddy had died. Daddy had been invited to a party by the Minister, an invite that extended to Amar Patil's family. Their mother, Leah, had bought Parvati and her twin each a 'cute' - her words, not Parvati's or Padma's - purple and blue _nivi_-style _sari. _Parvati remembered how the _pallu_ had itched and how the weather had been too hot for a three-piece garment; but Mummy couldn't do anything about it as the invite had said to wear formal clothes, and this was as formal as they got. Even though Parvati and her family did not strictly practice Indian ways, or speak the native tongue fluently (though daddy could), they still brought the culture in some aspects into their lives. It was like Lavender's family; her mother was Italian, but the only thing Lavender really did that was Italian was eat spaghetti, and all she could do was count to ten in Italian and swear. Parvati remembered that after the party Mummy and Daddy had bought them ice-cream and Padma had fallen asleep just waiting in line for it so Mummy picked up Padma and cradled her little girl while Daddy ate Padma's ice-cream with a funny look on his face that made Parvati giggle and shriek with joy.

Daddy used to make the funniest faces…

Parvati remembered when Padma and she had raided Mummy's makeup drawer and they thought they had gotten away with until Mummy had yelled, "PADMA CHANDA PATIL! PARVATI SITARA PATIL! YOU GET DOW HERE THIS INSTANT!"

Mum had used their full names; they knew they were in trouble. Padma had tried to run until--

- As quick and as bright as the first one had been, another vision struck Parvati Patil. It was a most horrific sight; Harry was caked with blood and dirt, and the man she had seen before was towering over him; with his red, gleaming eyes and slit-like nostrils. Somehow, Parvati knew it was the _past_ she was seeing, and knew whom the man was. As the vision rippled out of her sight, Parvati knew that You-Know-Who had returned -

Someone was fiddling with Moody's office doorknob from outside; Parvati could hear it. "HELP!" she screamed desperately, feeling as though her throat might tear. "HELP!" she shrieked again wildly, struggling against the bonds, crystalline tears dripping down her face. The bonds cut into her flesh as she thrashed, trying to break free.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry's body slammed into the ground, the smell of grass and blood and everything else overwhelming him. He did not know how long he lay there clutching Cedric's limp body and the cup, his eyes screwed shut. He did not know how much time had passed when he open his eyes, the horror of what had happened hitting him full force.

He could not tell what was going on; all he could hear was the throbbing of his head and his own choked sobs that racked his whole body. All he could taste was the metallic flavour of his blood as it coated his tongue and the salty tears that had fallen. All he could feel was Cedric's unnaturally cold, still body. All he could smell was the earth and the grass and the blood and the tears; and all he could see was Cedric, Cedric dead…

_Dead…_

The word seemed to echo around in Harry's head, consuming every thought before consuming everything of him, as if it were a plague, ravaging his insides, until Harry realised that it was not in his head, that people were shouting…

"Cedric Diggory!" they called, and Harry heard them, detached. "The Diggory Boy!" they screamed. "He's dead!"

…_dead…dead…he's dead…_they kept shouting. Harry heard a noise like an animal in pain as he held on tighter to Cedric, his nails digging in, and it was only when Harry heard the noise again was that he realised it was coming from him. Time seemed to go too fast and too slow and everything was happening at once, and then nothing was happening at all. It was all too confusing and for just a moment, it would make sense if Harry could not feel, could not think, could not breathe…

Rough, calloused hands lifted Harry from Cedric's body, and Harry let himself being half carried, half walked through the crowd; his ankle could no longer support his weight, and was jutted out at an odd angle.

After a while, Harry realised it was Moody that was helping him. They walked silently along the corridors until they reached a door; it was the door to Moody's office…and someone inside…someone inside was screaming…

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! :)


	12. Afterglow

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait! Thanks to **Kerney,** **Epoch Everlasting, **and **I Kiss Dementors **over at the FA thread I posted.

**Warning: **This chapter contains infrequent coarse language, mild (if you can call any type of torture mild) physical torture of both a female and male and direct intent. Please be cautions if any of these situations offend, upset or insult you in any way.

* * *

_After a while, Harry realised Moody that was helping him. They walked silently along the corridors until they reached a door; it was the door to Moody's office…and someone inside…someone inside was screaming…_

Mad Eye Moody turned the golden door handle, and ruthlessly shoved Harry Potter inside his office. Harry's ankle, not able to support his weight, gave way and Harry fell to the floor, hard, a wave of disorientation washing over him. A soft moan of pain escaped Harry's lips; both his lightning bolt scar and ankle were throbbing something fierce. His vision slowly stopped swaying, and Harry could focus on his surroundings clearly.

Moody had limped over to his desk, where upon a number of spindly-looking Dark detectors sat. He looked to be fervently searching for something on his desk, and with one gnarled hand, he was gripping his hair, as though afraid it would vanish in an instant. Harry feebly started to ask Moody what he was doing when someone strong with deathly cold hands lifted Harry up into a wooden chair.

Harry looked up to see who had helped him; it was the Beauxbatons boy whom he had threatened; his name was Luke, Luca or something that Harry's tired brain could not recall.

No sooner than Harry had weakly breathed out a thank you to the French boy, Luc deftly cried, "Stupefy!", and Harry slumped into the chair, unmoving. Luc conjured ropes and bound Harry to the chair. The stunning spell must not have been very strong, for a moment later Harry regained consciousness.

Harry weakly raised his head, which seemed to weigh much more than if normally did, and saw something that made his stomach revolt; Parvati Patil was bound to a chair, deathly pale, her whole body shaking with fear. She was panicking. Her eyes locked with Harry's, and she started to shriek "HELP!" once again. Moody whirled around for only a moment, and harshly slapped Parvati. She did not stop screaming.

"Allard," grunted Professor Moody in the direction of Luc, and Harry vaguely registered that that must be the boy's last name. "Shut the girl up."

Luc conjured a piece of white cloth from his wand and tied it around Parvati's mouth, so her screams were muffled. Harry attempted to protest, but found he was too weak. Moody spun on his heel and faced the green-eyed boy, his magical eye going into overdrive.

"You saw the Dark Lord is back, Potter?" he inquired.

Harry became dizzy once again as the past events started to catch up with him, Cedric's cold body, green and red flashes of light, and the blood-red eyes, the pale, spider-like fingers… Harry bit his tongue, trying to stop himself from passing out or throwing up. He vaguely mused that he was going into shock.

What happened next was a blur for Harry; the door to Moody's office banged open, and the wizard was knocked unconscious by a spell. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape entered, alert, wands at the ready.

"Diffindo," murmured Professor Dumbledore quietly, pointing at Parvati's middle, then Harry's. The ropes that were bound around both them were cut cleanly in half. Professor McGonagall, who looked to be white with shock, went and undid the gag on Parvati's mouth by hand.

And in the very next moment Barty Crouch Jr was revealed.

..::ooOOOoo::..

A world-weary Harry Potter was supported to the Hospital Wing, and Parvati was quickly taken to Professor Dumbledore's office. A golden phoenix was perched near the headmaster's desk. Snape had taken care of Luc Allard. Harry had already told his version of events, reliving the horror of what had happened, down in Moody's office. Dumbledore had said he would talk to the boy later, when he was not so dazed with shock. Parvati, not wanting to be near her captors any longer, had requested the she tell what had happened to her somewhere else, and the professor had offered his office.

Parvati took a large gulp of water, the taste of blood still in her mouth (Moody's hit was harsher than she had first thought) before telling her tale.

Dumbledore surveyed Parvati from under his half-moon spectacles. "I believe," he stated firmly, "that these visions will become more frequent."

Parvati digested this information as she inquired, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

The Headmaster regarded the question before answering, "Being a Seer can be both a blessing and a curse, Miss Patil. You may, at times, as you did yesterday, See crucial things, and at other times, you may See the most unimportant things. You may See horror or delight; you may see past, present of future. Your Sight is most rare.

"Sybil Trelawney, our Divination professor, has strongly advised me not to teach you Occlumency, and I quite agree with her; to suppress ability is a great mistake…"

Parvati's brow furrowed in confusion. "Occlumency?" she repeated.

However, Dumbledore shook his head. "Another time, Miss Patil; I believe a warm bed and a Dreamless Sleep potion is awaiting you in the Hospital Wing."

Dumbledore's blue eyes did not twinkle, and looked to be filled with a great sadness. "I am terribly sorry for what has happened to you, and to Mr Potter."

Parvati just nodded, before heaving her tired body to the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore at her side.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry was tired; so very, very tired. His head and throat hurt, and he could not even dare to think about what Fudge had just said- that he did not believe…

Mrs Weasley handed Harry the draught, and Harry slowly drank. He last memories of that night were Sirius and Snape leaving on Dumbledore's orders, Hermione banging something near the windowsill, Parvati's sleeping form, and his two best friends giving him sympathetic, weak smiles. His eyelids started to droop, and his body felt warm as he fell into a dreamless sleep.

..::ooOOOoo::..

"…and so, yeah."

Harry looked down at bug that was crawling along the bed sheets, glad that he was not facing his girlfriend; her hands were around his waist, and he was holding onto them He could feel the rest of Parvati against him, the warm touch of her skin unfamiliar to him. He could not remember being in such close proximity to anyone ever; but it felt _right_, if not a little awkward when one of them moved a little. Parvati's breath tickled Harry's skin on the back of the green-eyed-boy's neck when she talked, and _boy_, had she talked tonight. Harry closed his eyes, sighed and turned so that he was lying on his back. Parvati readjusted her position. Madam Pomfrey, the strict matron, had ordered that Harry and Parvati both have a few days bed rest. She had not specified as to whether they had to keep to their own beds, however. Harry whispered into Parvati's hair, "You talk too much."Parvati giggled. "I'm sorry!" She had been trying all day and earlier that night to make Harry smile; but it seems that nothing could keep Harry's mind off Cedric Diggory's parents visit earlier that day.

Harry mumbled monotonously, "S'okay."

Parvati turned and rested her head on the green-eyed boy's chest. "'Kay," she mumbled back.

Randomly, a small first year darted through the Hospital Wing, shouting something about Dragon Pox, only to stack it on an innocent bedpan. Parvati snorted, drawing the boy's attention. His eyes grew large as he saw the position she and Harry were in; he squeaked and ran out of the wing as fast as he had entered.

It was a long time before either of them spoke again. The candle next to the bedside table would soon be a pool of wax.

"Harry?" whispered Parvati softly. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," replied Harry gently, speaking into Parvati's hair, "I am."

"I was wondering…"

Parvati trailed off, leaving them in silence again for a moment. Harry could hear Parvati take a little breath before she whispered, "Are you having nightmares too?"

"Yeah," said Harry, almost inaudibly, his breathing shallow as he tried to force down the painful recollections of Cedric's death and Lord Voldemort's return in the graveyard. All the red and green light, all the sounds, smells, tastes….

Harry scrunched up his eyes; put his head to Parvati's and clutched her tight.

Hot, salty tears were welling Parvati's eyes, stinging. She did not want to think about what had happened to herself, to Harry, to Cedric, but it was too much and all of a sudden, Parvati was breaking down, burying her face into the crook of Harry's neck. Parvati had her mouth open as she cried onto Harry, who was holding onto her tightly in his bigger, stronger, warmer, safer arms. In the trashy romance novels, she read crying on your loved one always sounded so bloody _romantic_; but Parvati now knew it was nothing like that. She had gotten tears and snot all over Harry shirt, and her throat felt as though there was a big ball of crap stuck in the middle of it that hurt like hell and would not go away, no matter how many times she swallowed her spit. It was disgusting to admit to herself but at that time, frankly, Parvati didn't give a _shit_, because Cedric was dead and Harry had been hurt and every time Parvati closed her eyes she saw Crouch's horrible, evil smile and it fucking_ sucked_. Her hot tears stung her eyes and tasted like salt as they fell into her open mouth.

She kept sobbing and sniffling all over Harry, but he was still holding her, and it was only when Parvati shifted her position on top of Harry was that she saw he too was crying. As searing tears made their way down her face, Parvati rested her head nest to Harry's, her lips brushing against his cheek, her left arm across his torso. Parvati could feel his warm breath on her arm, and she was certain he could feel hers on his cheek. Harry turned his head towards Parvati, giving her a small kiss on the lips, his eyes closed.

For a while, Harry and Parvati stayed like that, in each other's arms, silently comforting each other just by being in their presence, until Parvati's sobs subsided, and Harry's tears dried away. Then all of a sudden, Harry felt Parvati's whole body shaking; however, it was not sobs racking her body.

It was laughter.

Parvati threw back her head, accidentally whipping Harry on the face with her hair, not hearing his small cry of 'Ow!', and let out a genuine laugh.

"T-that kid--" she said through laughter, catching Harry's eye, "D-did you see his face?" Parvati was talking about the bedpan kid. She could be so random at times. "I think we m-may have scarred him for life!"

Parvati shot him a winning smile as she continued to cackle her head off. Parvati knew she was weird; and she knew that this was a just a reaction to her breaking down, because she could not believe she had just cried all over Harry.

"You know you love it- _WHOA_!" Parvati had toppled off the bed, fell onto the Hospital Wing floor, and was now rolling around on the floor, cackling like a mad woman.

Madam Pomfrey strode out in her pyjamas, a look of utmost fury on her face.

"Miss Patil!" she shrilled. "You are _disturbing_ my patients!"

And Harry just looked at Parvati and _grinned_.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry hugged Ron and Hermione goodbye, the latter almost cracking his ribs in the process. Fred and George waved to Harry from the other side of Hermione, a large sum of money stowed away in their trunks.

"I'll promise to write, Harry!" assured Hermione as the bushy haired witch and her parents strolled away from the train. "Bye, Ron!"

Harry and his redheaded best friend waved Hermione off, shouting out goodbyes.

Ron grinned. "See you this summer, Harry."

Harry grinned back. "Yeah, Ron; see you."

The green-eyed teenager turned around to Parvati, who was waiting behind him. She caught his eye before jerking her thumb back over her shoulder.

"Is that your family, Harry?" she inquired, her brow eyes dancing. Harry looked over her shoulder, and saw the all three Dursleys were there; Aunt Petunia, blonde and bony, Dudley, large and stupid; Vernon, ugly and even stupider than his son. Harry nodded to Parvati, who gave him an impish grin.

"Excellent," Parvati said, and kissed him on the lips. She broke off the kiss before pecking Harry on the lips again. She gave him a large smile, saying cheerfully, "I'll see you next September Harry, if we can't work something out in the holidays. I'll call or write to you. Bye!"

With that, Parvati Patil skipped off towards her twin sister and her mother, Parvati's long hair swinging behind her, her butterfly hair clip shining in the sun that streamed through the station windows merrily. Parvati gave a happy look back, quickly waving at her boyfriend.

Harry chanced a fleeting look at the Dursleys; their mouths were hanging open.

Feeling a lot happier than he had in a long while, Harry Potter looked at Parvati, smiled, and raised his hand in farewell.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you to all my wondrous reviewers, I was so excited to see how many I had gotten for the last chapter! If you'd like to contact me you can do so via a PM or love_islikeoygen at hotmail dot com.


	13. Taking Flight

**A/N:** Thankyou to the Microsoft Encarta maps, astrology directory, OKB, MCM, Suffolk Park, music and Rick Riordan's character profiles for helping me churn out this chapter slowly but surely.

* * *

As one walked into number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London, there was a definite sense of abandonment that filled the air. It would correct in thinking that the old house had not been inhabited by human life for many years. The silver cutlery was rusting, the rare dark artefacts were tethering from disuse and a thick layer of dust blanketed the once extravagantly beautiful furniture. The house was dark and gloomy, cobwebs adorning the staircase and walls.

There was no light in the house, apart from the kitchen, located towards the back of Grimmauld place. There was quite a commotion in the kitchen, which created a lot of noise, not that the muggles who lived in numbers eleven and thirteen would notice. For the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black was currently being used as a meeting point for a band of witches and wizards looking to rid the world of evil, to stop an impending war.

At this very moment in time, the members of this group were about to commence their first meeting, which did not explain why there was so much noise. Surely, a group of intelligent and talented magical folk knew of the staidness of the current situation, of Voldemort's return. Then why were they creating such a fuss?

The answer was found in the owner of Grimmauld Place, the falsely accused mass murderer Sirius Black, and the fact that he had just revealed himself to a group of witches and wizards who still thought him responsible for the heinous crime of betraying Lily and James Potter to You-Know-Who.

Albus Dumbledore surveyed the man who a few minutes ago took the form of a loveable stray dog, and then looked to the outraged disbelieving group members before deciding it was time to call order; once again, to start the Order of the Phoenix.

"Excuse me," he called over the commotion, "May I have your attention? I think it is time we start."

Chairs scraped the dusty floorboards as the Order members seated themselves around the long ornate wooden table; the half-giant known as Rubeus Hagrid stood, as the seats were much too small for him.

"Welcome," began Dumbledore, "To the first meeting of the newly-reinstated Order of the Phoenix. We all know why we are here; to convince the Wizarding world of the _truth, _of Lord Voldemort's return."

Several Order members nodded or murmured in agreement (some were still shaky from the professor's mention of You-Know-Who's name), as Dumbledore continued. He introduced each member to the group.

First, it was Sirius Black, the wrongfully accused murderer and godfather to Harry Potter; the real Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody, ex-auror who would be vital in strategising and fighting; Moody's protégé and auror Nymphadora Tonks, the youngest member; Remus Lupin, who would help with convincing werewolves not to join You-Know-Who and Severus Snape, with connections to the Dark Arts. These were just some of the elite witches and wizards that would aid the Order of the Phoenix.

This then brought Dumbledore to another important aspect of the meeting; Harry James Potter, the boy who had witnessed Voldemort's return.

"There are several concerns regarding Mr Potter, few of which I can address at the present time," declared Dumbledore seriously. "I do not doubt that Lord Voldemort wishes to seek revenge on him, nor that Harry is in serious danger.

"Firstly, I would like to ask that we place a guard at Harry's house. Perhaps if it is done in shifts it shall be easier…would anyone like to take me up on this offer?"

Nymphadora Tonks, Bill, Charlie and Arthur Weasley, Remus Lupin, Dedalus Diggle, Mundungus Fletcher and Emmeline Vance all raised their hands.

"Good, good," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. "With that out of the way, I would like to address you all on another related matter- the safety of Harry Potter's friends and family. There are wards around Harry's house which protect he and his relatives, but as some of you well know Voldemort likes to - ah - play with his food. It is _imperative_ that we find a secure place for Harry's friends to stay- I am afraid that the Burrow may not suffice, Molly and Arthur."

The redheaded couple nodded in understanding. It was then that Sirius Black spoke up.

"Why don't they stay here?"

Dumbledore seemed to think this over before clapping his hands together, "What a splendid idea. What say you, Arthur, Molly?"

Molly and Arthur Weasley whispered to each other for a few moments before Arthur agreed. "That would be wonderful, and thank you, Sirius," said the balding Weasley patriarch, making eye contact with the last Black, "But you do realise that there will be six of us?"

"It's perfectly fine, Arthur, there are plenty of rooms- but won't there be seven extra people staying if we count Hermione Granger?"

Dumbledore nodded, stroking his white beard. "I'm thinking eight, actually," he said casually, "You see, I have great reason to suspect that we must protect Harry's - ah - girlfriend, Parvati Patil."

"Patil? As in Auror Amar Patil?" Kingsley Shacklebolt, tall and dark, spoke up suddenly. "The reason why half the Death Eaters are in Azkaban?"

"Yes. One of his two daughters, Parvati, as I just said, is Harry's girlfriend. She is also a Seer, and Saw Voldemort's return. Miss Patil could prove to be both an asset and a clever bargaining chip for him."

Sirius Black didn't think twice; he would do anything for Harry. "Then she can stay too."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled, "Excellent! Now," he said, "To the heart of the matter: I'm sure you have all heard of a place within the Ministry of Magic known as the _Department of Mysteries_…"

* * *

The train had arrived later than usual at the London station because of the rather extravagant departures of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students, and as the Patils arrived home it was nightfall.

"Oh, I'm so glad to have you both home again!"

Parvati and Padma Patil traded amused glances as their mum swept them into a lung-crushing hug.

"Mum!" they cried in unison, "We need to breathe!"

Leah Patil laughed and just pulled her two girls closer, and even though they had protested, the twins did not let go of their mum. It felt so _good_ to be home!

Once free of her mother's embrace, Parvati surveyed her home, feeling content. It was the same old home in the heart of Eastleigh, Hampshire; cream walls with lined with endless amounts of photographs and her mother's paintings, the creaky wooden stairs, the dent in the wall where a three-year-old Padma ran into it and the Muggle telephone book that supported the rickety dining room table.

Mum had gone into the kitchen after magicking her daughters' trunks up to their room, and was preparing dinner, humming off-tune to a Celestina Warbeck song. Parvati's thoughts soon strayed to her boyfriend. She wondered what Harry's home was like; he hadn't spoken to highly of his family. She wondered how he was coping after all that had happened…

"You okay?"

Parvati spun around to face Padma, who was wearing a concerned look. "You just went quite for a bit," continued the teen, "that's all."

"I'm fine," replied Parvati absently as a brightly coloured book on the dining table caught her eye.

Padma made an irritated sort of noise as Parvati leant over to see the book. "Liar," Parvati's twin said, "I know you better than you know yourself, Par. You're not fine."

As Padma came closer Parvati looked into the eyes of her sister; the carbon copy of her eyes and said reasonably, "Yeah, well, I'm not about to off myself, so you don't have to worry too much." Padma leant over to read the title of the book.

"You know," said Parvati, cocking her head to one side, readjusting her butterfly clip, "You'd look really good with shoulder length hair and bangs…"

Padma rolled her eyes; about the only thing that the twins could not agree on was Parvati's obsession with fashion. While her sister had a keen eye for it, Padma would be more interested in reading a good novel.

"Then so would you, duh," replied Padma before exclaiming, "'_Simple Signs and Solutions For Seers and Their Parents'_?!"

Parvati blinked. "What?"

"This book Mum's bought!" said Padma, gesturing to the brightly coloured novel. Parvati raised an eyebrow and Padma laughed.

"Suck to be a Seer," she cried, and Parvati stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Girls!" Leah Patil called from the kitchen. "Come set the table, it's time for dinner!"

Ten minutes later and their soup almost finished, Parvati and Padma were discussing their year with their mum.

Leah took a long sip of her wine; they had just gotten onto the subject of Parvati's boyfriend. Even though Leah did not blame the boy for her daughter's kidnapping she still had her reservations, which did not impress Parvati one bit.

"Isn't he a bit, uh, dangerous for you, sweet?" queried their mum.

"What about Dad?" asked Parvati, an edge to her voice. "He was off fighting Dark wizards every other day!"

Leah looked to think over what her daughter had said, sighed and conceded. "Okay, okay. I just want to hold on to my baby girl forever."

The woman sighed before patting Padma's hand saying, "At least I've got you to hold onto for a bit longer, sweet."

Parvati grinned wickedly, suppressing a giggle. "Not if _Anthony Goldstein_ has his way!"

Her mouth dropping open in shock, Padma growled and threw a hunk of bread at her sister, crying, "Parvati!"

Parvati sighed, taking pity on her sister and changed the subject. "Mum, you _must_ meet Harry- can he come over in the holidays?"

Leah frowned. "Yes," she said, "but he's not staying overnight."

"Why not?" Parvati whined.

"I was a teenager once, too! I know exactly what you two might get up to."

Parvati rolled her eyes, lifting up her bread, ready to stuff it in her mouth. "Mum, _puh-lease_; Harry and I hardly at that stage," said the brown haired girl, leaving out the '_yet'_.

Padma snorted. "You better explain that one to Dean Thomas after he walked into his train compartment with you and Harry press-"

Parvati shoved the bread in her sister's mouth quick smart, colour rising in her cheeks. Grabbing her plate and putting it in the sink, Parvati raced out of the dining room and away from her hysterically laughing twin sister and slightly amused mother.

* * *

Sirius surveyed the room. The meeting had just ended and the members were chatting amongst themselves. It was weird seeing old friends, schoolmates and teachers around him. Just as he was about to take a drink from his fire whisky, Sirius was tapped on the shoulder. He turned and faced the grinning form of Nymphadora Tonks, her smile as bright as her violet hair.

Tonks threw her arms around her cousin and hugged him tightly. "It's great to see you, coz!"

Sirius grinned as he let go of the young witch. "You've grown up so much, Nymphadora; you must have been what, five when I last saw you?"

Tonks scrunched her nose up in distaste. "For future reference, I go by the name of Tonks, and Tonks only. You do _not_ want to call me by my first name- ask Remus, he'll tell you."

The spiky haired witch looked over to where the prematurely greying man was opening a Butterbeer and yelled, "Remus! Get over here!"

Remus Lupin started to walk over, only to be stopped by Molly Weasley who seemed to be inquiring as to why Remus was so thin, and Sirius frowned. "How do you two know each other?"

"We've been dating for around about a year, now," answered Tonks casually, and Sirius' mouth dropped open.

"Are you serious?"

A mischievous look crossed Tonk's elfin features before she broke out into laughter.

"No! Oh, man, you should have seen your face! Remus and I are just friends; we met at this Werewolf rights protest. He's not exactly my type."

"You have a type?"

"Oh, hush, you," Tonks replied good-naturedly before changing the subject. "So, you're Harry Potter's godfather, right?"

"Yes," replied Sirius, brightening at the mention of his godson.

"That's so awesome! I can't wait to go on duty and see what he's really like- never believed all the rubbish Rita Skeeter came up with last year."

"What did she say about him?"

"Oh, just that he was in this love triangle with his best friend and Viktor Krum."

Sirius almost choked on his drink. "Who, Ron Weasley?"

Tonks laughed loudly. "No, his girl best friend…Hermione, I think her name is. Skeeter said some pretty awful stuff about her too. But Harry has a girlfriend, right? Dumbledore mentioned that earlier, the Seer girl; Auror Patil's daughter."

Sirius nodded as Tonks' brown eyes twinkled with mischief. "Ahh," she said, reminiscing, "Dating at Hogwarts- there's nothing like it, is there? Snogging in broom closets, escaping Filch- I remember one of my friends did it with her boyfriend in McGonagall's classroom…"

This time, Sirius did choke on his drink. "You don't think- Harry would-?"

"Nah," commented Tonks, "From what everyone's been telling me he sounds like a good kid."

"He is," said the ex-convict with decided confidence. Sirius Black surveyed the home he had not lived in for near twenty years before taking another long drink and grinning at his old friend Lupin who had come to stand beside him.

"I think," Sirius commented wisely, "That it is going to be interesting year."

* * *

Parvati settled herself onto her bed, sighing contentedly. After escaping her mother and sister Parvati had retreated to her and Padma's shared room. The brown haired girl sighed as she looked down at the empty parchment she was about to write on. Parvati twirled the quill in her fingers before dipping it in the deep purple ink. Quill poised, she lined up her parchment and began to write.

_Dear Harry…_

* * *

**A/N:** I'm terribly sorry to all the Remus/Tonks fans- I had originally planned that pairing but it didn't feel _right_. Any theories? Was this chapter up to scratch? Pairings you think are gonna happen? Review, please!


	14. Memories

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait, life got insanely busy and stressful. Nevertheless, I'm very happy with this chapter, especially with all the charas. Thank Merlin for: Linkin Park, Within Temptation, Fiction Alley's Writer's Corner, HP Lexicon, Will by Maria Boyd and Doctor Who.

* * *

Harry Potter awoke screaming.

His pyjamas clung to his body, sticky with sweat as he lay in his bed, tangled in the sheets. His mind was racing faster than he could fly on his Firebolt.

He'd dreamt of the graveyard again.

The dream was plaguing his mind; Harry could see Cedric slumped on the ground, dead…Pettigrew's bloody stump of an arm…Voldemort's red, gleaming eyes…his promise of revenge…his scream of fury as Harry escaped…

Harry could feel his heart thumping wildly as he grabbed for his glasses and put them on. The wizard disentangled himself from his bed sheets and searched his room looking for anything to distract his train of thoughts from his nightmares and the pain that was pounding in his scar. He had been back at Privet Drive for a number of weeks now and he'd been having nightmares about his last term nearly every night. Luckily for Harry, it seemed that he hadn't been screaming very loudly because his Uncle Vernon hadn't barged in, tell him to be bloody well quiet.

"Where is it?" Harry muttered quietly to himself as he stepped over his higgledy-piggledy pile of schoolbooks and scanned his desk. Stray sweets, pens, and socks lay discarded all over the desk; it wasn't there either, Harry saw. He tiptoed towards his bed, past the sleeping form of his pet snowy owl, Hedwig. Turning to look under his bed, Harry caught sight of himself in his mirror.

His hair was sticking up in all directions, and there were bags under his eyes; his scar stood out in vivid contrast to his skin, as though the pain was making the old scar stand out more. There were sweat stains down the front of his shirt; the night air was hot and thick as it streamed from Harry's open window. Harry thought he looked horrible, but he knew he felt worse than he looked. His nightmares made him feel ill and feverish, and combined with the pain in his scar it made Harry feel as though he had a particularly bad bout of the flu. What he would do for a Pepperup Potion right now…

The magical world fresh on his mind, Harry resumed his search for Parvati Patil's most recent letter.

His girlfriend had been the only one who had written him all summer. Well, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius all had written to Harry, but Parvati's letters actually contained substance. Harry's friends and godfather's letters were very vague; Parvati's were detailed, and even though Parvati stated in them that she thought her letters were very boring, Harry found them interesting to read and an excellent way to pass the scorching hot summer.

"There you are!" Harry whispered, spying the letter. It had been quickly stashed under his lamp on his bedside table when his Aunt Petunia had poked her horsy head into his room, shouting at him to take the rubbish out to the bins. The letter was crumpled, but Harry smoothed it out and found comfort in Parvati's words.

In the letter, Harry's girlfriend had written about how her summer was going. She, thankfully, hadn't had any nightmares, although in her previous letters she had written that the first few nights it was hard for her to sleep. Parvati had seen her best friend Lavender Brown a few times, as they lived in the same suburb. Parvati had mentioned how she hadn't had another vision apart from a rather odd one where she Saw her twin sister going to feed her cat two hours before Padma was going to do it. Parvati had gone on about how exasperated she was; what type of vision was that meant to be?! She was very much in the dark about her psychic abilities, which unnerved her. Harry had written back yesterday, telling her that she shouldn't worry about it. He had told her that he missed her much more than she could, which had become a recurring teasing argument between them; they both believed that they missed the other more.

Harry had also written that he couldn't wait until the end of the holidays when he would see her; Parvati's mother had been in contact with Ron's father as Harry would be staying at the Burrow with the Weasley's and Hermione. However, apparently there was a problem with the Floo network. As far as Harry could understand (for both Ron and Parvati were rather undescriptive about what was happening), Harry would be going from the Dursley's fire (which would be hooked up with the Floo network once again) to Parvati's house, and then he would be going to Ron's house via Parvati's Floo. According to Ron and Parvati, there was a glitch in the network and the only way they could get around it was to go via two fires. Harry honestly didn't care about if there was a problem with a Wizarding travel system: he would be seeing Par and Ron and Hermione! He had missed them so much!

Harry's mind and heart eventually slowed as he relaxed and settled back into his sheets. Still wearing his glasses and holding Parvati's letter, Harry fell asleep once again, and didn't wake til late in the morn.

..:ooOOOoo:..

"Parvati? Parvati!"

Padma was leaning in the doorway of her sister and her's shared bedroom. The late afternoon sunlight was streaming in through the window. Parvati shared a smile with her sister as she apologised.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming…" She had been trying to think of what Harry had bought her for her birthday. The darkhaired girl had celebrated her fifteenth birthday a short time ago, and Harry had been dropping unhelpful hints in his letters as what it might be, which left her guessing.

Padma rolled her eyes. "I've tried calling you like a million times, Lavender's downstairs waiting for you."

"Oh!" cried Parvati. She'd almost forgotten that Lav was coming over today.

Soft footfalls sounded that Lavender was coming up the stairs, and a moment later, she appeared at the door. Lavender was wearing a short blue dress; appropriate for the scorcher the summer was turning into.

"Parvati!" she cried and engulfed her best friend in a huge hug.

"Hey, Lavender!" said Parvati happily. In the corner of her eye, she saw Padma leave the room, taking a novel with her. Parvati and Lavender sat down on Parvati's bed, Lavender hugging her favourite purple cushion. "How have you been?"

"I've been great, I got this new shampoo, and it smells like lavender." Lav and Par shared a smile.

"Ironic, I like it," said Parvati in approval. Lavender giggled and waved her hand towards Parvati's hair, "I like the new haircut, the layers really make your cheekbones stand out. And it's started to curl at the ends! It's no wonder since your mum has a head full of ringlets."

Parvati settled back, leaning on the pillows. With the last few months being so eventful, it was lovely to just sit and have a normal conversation.

"How's your mum going? She'd be what, four or five months along now?"

Lavender just rolled her eyes. "It's like this baby has renewed their love for another or something. I mean, it's nice to picture it, but when it's your parents… Lavender made a retching sound. I found them snogging while they were cooking the tortellini last night!"

"It's called hormones."

"You'd think when my mum has a stomach the size of a Quaffle they'd stop doing that stuff. But whatever. Enough about my family. So Dean and Seamus and I were going to the movies or something because Seamus has no idea what they are, and they want to know if you want to come."

Parvati faltered, and summoned up her Gryffindor courage the sorting hat had told her she possessed.

"Lav," confessed Parvati, "I've gotta tell you something. It's a big secret, you can't tell _anyone_. I've just got to get it off my chest, and you deserve to know. It's why I won' be able to come with you, Dean and Seamus."

Lavender leant in closer. "How important is this secret?"

"Remember how you told me never to tell anyone about what you and Blaise Zabini did in the secret hiding spot behind the portrait near the Slytherin common room instead of being in Potions class?"

Lavender had the grace to look guilty, but nodded.

"Yeah, well, this secret is like that, except if you tell anyone people could actually die," Parvati said seriously. "No joke."

Lavender nodded in understanding, being uncharacteristically focused. Parvati took a deep breath and revealed the secret.

"I won't be around for the last few weeks on the holidays. Mum's joining this thing called the Order."

..:ooOOOoo:..

Harry kicked back, and the chains creaked as he swung. The playground was in need of repair; Dudley's gang had made sure of that. He had woken up late and had seized his opportunity to get outside. Although the weather was hot, it was better than being near the Dursley's, even if the swing seat was a little hot.

They were much more annoyed at his existence this year because of the incident with the Floo when Harry was going to the Quidditch World Cup. It didn't help that he would need to leave via their fire again this summer, but Harry didn't care; he would be free of this hellhole soon. Aunt Petunia could give him all the chores she wanted; he was leaving soon, regardless.

Loud cheers brought Harry out of his reverie; Dudley's gang were near the slide at the park.

"Hey, Big D!" they were shouting. "Look who it is, it's wee little Pothead!"

Harry groaned bitterly. Great, just what he needed.

The gang sauntered over to Harry. The green-eyed wizard stuck his hand in his jacket, his hand clamped in his wand tightly. He stood up, ready to face the gang.

"Hey Potter," said Dudley as his gang of loyal idiots chortled. "I heard you moaning last night."

A long, thin gang member whistled as the others continued laughing.

"What?" spat Harry.

Dudley's five chins wobbled as he too laughed, "I hear you moaning in your sleep! _'Don't kill Cedric! Mum! Dad! Please, help!'_ who's Cedric, your boyfriend?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, his stance cocky. "No, and I don't think my girlfriend would be too pleased with me if I did."

Dudley and his ugly friends stopped laughing. "That little slag you kissed at the train station?" Dudley repeated. "Who the bloody hell would want to go out with a freak like you! She must be a bit of a freak herself then."

"Don't you dare!" growled Harry grabbing his wand and threatening at Dudley.

"Oh no!" wailed Dudley's ratty friend Piers mockingly. "Pothead's got a stick! What are you going to, Potter, beat us with it?"

Piers, nor any of Dudley's crew, didn't notice Dudley who had gone quiet and deathly pale. Harry and Dudley stood, staring at each other for what seemed like an age. Dudley seemed to be too scared to move and Harry wasn't going to back down.

"Aww, man, this is shit. I'm gone," muttered Piers after a while, and slowly the gang trickled out until there was no one left.

Dudley finally turned away, and then quickly froze.

It was then that Harry felt it. A cold, sickening hand was grabbing his heart. He felt like he had been doused in a bucket of ice-cold water. The icy fear of Dementors.

"What are you doing, Potter? Stop it!" Dudley screamed, terrified. "Stop it!"

When Harry looked back on it, it just seemed like such a blur.

_Cold, so cold…death…his mother's terrified screams…"Expecto Patronum!"…Mrs Figg…carrying Dudley…Sirius and Mrs Weasley's letters: Stay where you are…Aunt Petunia's pale face…remember my last…_

..:ooOOOoo:…

"Give me your hand, Harry," Aunt Petunia snapped, her fingernails raking into his wrist as she grabbed it. She opened a bottle of disinfectant and started to treat the wounds, and Harry winced.

"Oh, grow up," his aunt ordered, and Harry frowned, trying to ignore the sting of the disinfectant on his cut hand. He'd fallen when he had carried Dudley, scraping his hand on the concrete. He was sore and bruised all over.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, suspicious of his aunt's actions.

"I am cleaning your wounds," started Petunia, pressing harder on a particularly deep cut than before, "because I do not want the neighbours to see you like _this_." Here she indicated his rather battered and bruised body with a tilt of her head before continuing rather shrilly. "I will _not_ have the neighbours thinking less of Vernon, Duddykins and I- our reputation is damaged enough as it is with the idea that _you_ go to a school for _criminals_!"

Harry did not even bother to mention that it was her husband's idea to say Harry went to St Brutus' School for Incurably Criminal Boys. The raven-haired teen waited a few beats before venturing to ask about Dumbledore's warning.

"What other letters has Dumbledore sent you, Aunt Petunia?"

Afterwards, Harry realised that he should of waited until Petunia had finished tending to his hand, as the question shocked her greatly enough that she knocked into the bottle of disinfectant, which toppled over and spilled onto Harry's cut up hand. The green-eyed teenager yelped out in pain, jumping backwards, while Petunia shrieked at the mess that was now on her floor.

Harry's aunt shrieked at him, her eyes wide. "Out, _out!_ Out of my kitchen! Go get cleaned up in the bathroom, I will not have the neighbours see you look like _this_!" Petunia's voice was shrill as she continued to order her nephew. "Come back down once you're done and I'll fix up your cuts!"

Harry started to back away, deciding to leave as his aunt continued to rave. "Stupid, stupid boy, completely ruined my tiles…"

The green-eyed teenager exited quickly, the thought of a warm shower enticing him. He didn't see his aunt pause, a concerned, almost frightened expression covering her face. He didn't know that the source of her concern was him.

..:ooOOOoo:..

"The Order?" questioned Lavender, obviously confused.

"It's this organisation that's going to fight against You-Know-Who and try to get people to realise that he's back."

Lavender's eyes were wide.

"You do believe Harry and I, don't you Lav? We did see You-Know-Who, he _is_ back!" protested Parvati. Now that Parvati thought on it, she and Lavender hadn't talked about what happened at all, apart from the fact that she was a Seer…

"Of course I do, Pav!" cried Lavender. "You would never lie to me, and it was obvious that whatever killed Cedric Diggory in that graveyard wasn't just a tragic accident like the papers are saying. But, wow…so where is this Order place?"

Parvati smiled broadly; Thank Godric for Lavender Brown. Although she was sometimes she was shallow, Lavender always pulled through in the end. She was very loyal; a mark of a true Gryffindor.

"I don't know where it is exactly," replied Parvati, "somewhere in London, I'm pretty sure. Harry's coming via the Floo to our house, and then we'll all head to the Order headquarters. According to Mum, the ministry is watching the Floo network, so we're going to try and throw them off the scent by going through two fires."

"That's so cool," said Lavender, awed. "It sounds more fun than my summer's going to be. I'll be avoiding my parents all holidays. So Harry's going to join the Order too, or something?"

Parvati frowned. "Um, no…he's going with us because he's got to be protected. Professor Dumbledore- who's the head of the Order- thinks that Harry and maybe me will be targeted by You Know Who."

Lavender gasped and grabbed Parvati's hadn't tightly. "You Know Who wants you dead?"

"Well, I am Harry's girlfriend…" Parvati began easily, but was cut of by a rather alarmed Lavender.

"Then why don't you break up with him! Then the crazy murderer guy won't kill you!"

Parvati sighed; she had already had this conversation with her mother. "No, I'm not going to break up with him. I won't, I can't. I feel like we've got something really special--"

_Special…special…special…special…_

'_It's a special present for a special girl…' A man smiled, and a little girl giggled._

'_Daddy, can we open it now?'_

'_We're just waiting for Mummy, sweetheart…Parvati, have you got the camera? Parvati?'_

"PARVATI!"

Lavender slapped her friend across the face, and the dark-haired girl was brought back to present. Parvati's heart was racing.

"What the hell was that?!" cried Lavender hysterically. "Your voice went all weird and you kept saying 'special' and you didn't blink for like five minutes."

Parvati tried to keep herself calm. "I had a vision…"

"A vision? What happened?"

"I don't know, it was really vague…but it was the future, I could tell, it felt like it was the future…and there was a little girl, and a man- the girl's father – and she wanted to…to open a present and then the man asked if I had a camera, and kept calling my name…"

Parvati looked down at her hands; they were shaking. She and Lavender heard footfalls ascending the stairs, and a second later Padma had rushed into the room.

"I heard Lavender scream," she said breathlessly. "What happened?"

"I had a vision," replied Parvati, and explained her vision once again. Padma was fiddling with her long plait as she said thoughtfully, "Do you think you could have been the mother in the vision?"

Parvati quirked an eyebrow and Lavender's mouth fell open. "You think I was the mum?"

"I know there's got to be thousands of other Parvati's in the world," reasoned Padma, "but you were talking about Harry and you just before you had the vision. Maybe that train of thought brought upon the vision?"

Parvati shook her head. "I wasn't thinking about You-Know-Who when that vision happened, and I wasn't thinking about Liquorice when I got the vision about you feeding him."

"Maybe strong emotions trigger visions."

Lavender looked impressed by this idea. "Professor Trelawney often says that emotions are vital in divination."

Something registered in Parvati's mind. "When I first Saw You-Know-Who, I'd been anxious because I had handed in my essay with all this junk written all over it, and then I had a vision that made me even more anxious…but that doesn't explain the vision about the cat…"

"Maybe you were feeling hungry?" offered Padma weakly.

Parvati groaned. "This doesn't make any sense."

Padma crossed her arms over her chest, looking determined. "There's got to be logical reason, Parvati. Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

Parvati nodded miserably; it seemed she had all these questions and no answers. Were her visions triggered by something? Who was the man in the vision? Could the girl be her daughter?

Lavender glanced at her best friend's twin, muttering, "Ravenclaw," as Parvati sighed.

She hoped Harry was having more fun than this.

..:ooOOOoo:..

Harry savoured the feel of warm water on his skin, as the chill the Dementors had brought slowly started to ebb away. The cold feeling had remained all last night and this morning; Harry had been sent up to his room following the incident and had not been allowed out to get anything to eat or have a shower. Dudley had eaten all of his secret stash of chocolate (as Aunt Petunia in conjunction with Dudley's diet forbade sweets in the house); the sweet substance seemed to be the only sure-fire cure to get rid of the Dementor's ghostly chill. The warm water cascaded down Harry's face and back, and he ran his hands through his messy, now wet, hair. The warm water felt so _good_…

The bathroom door banged open, and Dudley stood in the doorway. Harry cried out, embarrassed and outraged at the fact that his cousin had walked in on him naked, silently thanking the stars that the heat from the water had created enough steam so that he was not fully exposed. Dudley locked his piggy eyes on Harry, rested a hand on the hot water tap of the sink basin and turned it on full. "Here's for what you did tonight, freak." Dudley sneered. Harry yelled out in anger, letting out a few choice swearwords as Dudley quickly waddled from the room and Harry's shower water suddenly turned frigidly cold.

The boy with the lightning scar's brain seems to be stuck for a moment, before he quickly reacted. Harry turned off the water, and the hot tap, grabbed a towel, shivering. Once dry, he hurriedly put on his clothes, trying to get warm again.

With the way things were going, he'd probably get a lecture from his paranoid aunt and angry uncle about how the neighbours might have heard him scream, and that there would be _no more funny business_ or he wouldn't eat for a week. Of course, _precious_ _Diddydums_ wouldn't get in trouble; all three of them would see Dudley's antics as justifiable payback. His relatives were just so- so- _arghh_! Harry kicked the side of the bath angrily, grimacing as pain shot up his foot.

Harry just hoped his friends were having a better time of it.

..:ooOOOoo:..

Half an hour later, there was a knock at Parvati' door. Leah Patil poked her head in, looking worried. "Lavender, dear, I'm afraid you'll have to go home. Something's come up and I need my girls."

Parvati and Lavender traded looks. "Okay, Leah," said Lavender, seeing that Ms Patil was rather concerned by something and she said her goodbyes.

Downstairs Lavender Brown gave a wave before stepping into the fire and yelling "Marigold Cottage!", the affectionate name of her home given by her grandmother, and disappearing from Parvati's home.

"What's going on?" asked Parvati and Padma in unison. Their mum sighed.

"Harry Potter's been attacked by Dementors."

Parvati swore loudly, and Padma asked sharply, "Who sent them?"

Leah shook her head. "I don't know, I haven't been given all the details. The point is, Harry's tonight. We need to start packing now." Her eyes looked watery.

Leah moved forward and pulled her girls into a warm hug. "I'm so sorry, girls, but it just seems like without your father here we can't stay out of trouble." Leah stroked Parvati's face. "I'm sure Harry will be fine, sweet." Parvati nodded into her mother's embrace.

Behind them, someone coughed. Parvati turned and stared.Professor Lupin, a tall dark man, a pink haired woman and a blonde woman were standing near the fire. The pink haired witch was brushing Floo ash out of her hair.

"Professor Lupin!" exclaimed Parvati and Padma together. "What are you doing here?"

"He's part of the Order," explained their mum.

Lupin smiled. "It's lovely to see you two again. Now, I suppose I should introduce these guys…" He pointed to the tall man, "Kingsley Shacklebolt," then to the blonde woman, "Hana Aldridge," and finally to the pink haired woman, "Nymphadora Tonks."

"It's just Tonks," interjected the witch. "I curse my mother every day for giving me a name like _Nymphadora_."

"We're going to get Harry and then come back here," finished Lupin.

"Do you know if Harry's okay?" asked Parvati worriedly. Lupin gave a reassuring smile.

"Yes, he's fine, just probably a little bruised and confused about the whole thing. He doesn't know about the Order or anything like that, you see, Dumbledore thought it too dangerous for that type of information to passed on through the post."

Parvati was satisfied with that answer, but couldn't wait to see Harry again.

Shacklebolt nodded to Lupin, and the Order members stepped through the fire, yelling "Number 13, Privet Drive!"

Leah gave her daughters a smile. "Time to start packing!"

..:ooOOOoo:..

Harry ran downstairs to see the oddest thing he'd ever seen in his life. Remus Lupin and three other magical folk were sitting at the Dursley's dining room table with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley. The Dursley's looked frightened and the Wizarding people seemed to be very amused by this. The blonde witch traded a grin with Lupin.

"Harry," said Remus warmly. "It's lovely to see you again. I must get straight to the point, I'm afraid- there's been a slight change of plans. You'll be leaving tonight. In light of recent events, it's easy to see why. Be ready in ten minutes, and then it's off to the Patil's."

..:ooOOOoo:..

Harry stepped out of the flames that engulfed him and fell straight into the tightest hug he had ever had in his life. He recognised Parvati's jasmine and citrus scent, and he looked up into her beautiful face. He felt happier than he had been in so _damn_ long.

"It's great to see you," he said, and Parvati kissed him soundly.

A strangled sort of noise broke them apart. They looked up to see Parvati's mother looking highly amused. Parvati's blushed. Harry readjusted his glasses and held out his hand.

"Harry Potter, m'am, it's a pleasure to meet you, Ms Patil."

"It's very nice to meet you too Harry," said Leah kindly, sharing a look with Parvati as she shook her daughters' boyfriend's hand. A look that said, _I'm impressed_.

Parvati giggled. She was pretty sure that her mum had never been called m'am in her life. Thank Merlin Harry was polite!

Harry let go of Parvati's mother's hand, and turned to Remus, who was motioning for him to step through the fire. "Harry, I want you to say Grimmauld Place clearly, okay?"

Harry frowned. "I'm not going to the Burrow?"

Tonks shook her head. "No, and we're all coming with you to the same place. Just say it, Harry, and we'll explain when we get there."

Harry nodded obediently, gave Parvati a cheeky smile, and said the words and the fire blanketed him as he spun around, around, and around…

* * *

**A/N:** 12 pages, go me XD I like Padma. She's smart :) These some subtle little things in there that I hope someone picks up. Reviews would be lovely :) :)


	15. Supermassive Black Hole

**A/N: **Here lie excuses. I have my SC exams, I've been writing to other nonfanfic, I couldn't stop rereading the _Twilight_ series, I'm almost finished _Wuthering Heights_ and I got hooked on writing the next chapter and the epilogue of Butterfly :) This chapter was meant to be way longer, but I decided to cut it because it's been that long since I've update. I do hope you'll all forgive me and review! Thanks especially to all the reviewers **Tonks-Shadow, Jasmine, JennyJ, Wonderbee31 **(just to name a few!) who have given me such lovely and constant reviews! (Yeah, title is from the Muse song, just because I'm obsessed and it fits with the end scene…)

* * *

Harry coughed and spluttered as he fell out of the fireplace, managing to trip on the way. H e didn't even have time to look around Grimmauld Place as he was engulfed into a hug.

"Sirius!" Harry cried happily. "It's so good to see you again!"

"You too, kiddo, you too," replied Sirius over the top of his godson's head, and then released him. "Merlin, you'll be taller than me, soon!"

Harry rolled his eyes, casually wiping a hand of his smarting lightning bolt scar. He put the pain to the back of his mind; it was now a constant ache; nothing to worry anyone about, really. He was pleased to see that his godfather was looking much healthier and cleaner than before. "No way, I'm one of the shortest guys in the year. I'm only a tiny bit taller than _Hermione_."

"Lucky Parvati's a shortie," added Ron as he came into view. Harry gave his friend a brief hug that made Hermione and Ginny giggle and mutter something about 'man-hugs'.

Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George and Mrs Weasley welcomed Harry as Parvati, Padma and Mrs Patil stumbled through the fireplace. Harry unconsciously took Parvati's hand as everyone was introduced. It all seemed to go very quickly, and before Harry knew it, Mrs Weasley ushered them up the stairs. "I'm sorry, Harry, Parvati, and Padma - the meeting's just about to start. Harry, you're rooming with Ron, and you two girls will be with Hermione and Ginny. Ron, show them upstairs!" and with that, Mrs Weasley followed the rest of adults into the kitchen, where Harry supposed the meeting place was. Ron grinned and turned to ascend the stairs, only to give a yell as the twins suddenly materialised at the top.

"Welcome," chorused Fred and George as they happily Apparated to grab the new arrival's belongings and place them in the room. The others ascended the stairs and reached the landing.

"Ahh," exulted George, "We thought we heard you lot turn up!"

"We'd love to stay and chat," continued Fred as he walked out of Ron and Harry's room, "But we've got some business to attend to. Oh, and Harry--"

"Here," said George helpfully, aiming a spell at Ron's bed. "Now you won't have to put up with hearing Ron's snoring. He won't be able to hear you, though, which is a bit annoying, but the charm wears off in the morning…"

Ron let out an indignant "Hey!" and Harry grinned and said "Thanks!". The twins then left. Everyone (Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Padma and Parvati) filed into Ron's room, chatting idly about their holidays. Harry and the Patil twins were filled in on the goings-on of number twelve, including what the Order did, who they were, and why Harry's letter had been as good as blank pieces of parchment.

"Oh, I'm so sorry our letters were rubbish, Harry!" cried Hermione. "Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't tell you anything.

Harry felt a flare of anger before he replied calmly, "It's no problem, Hermione. Not angry at you…kinda angry at Dumbledore though. Why would he shut me out?"

Hermione sighed, like she obviously didn't agree with the headmaster. "He seemed to think you were safest not knowing," she said before muttering something about ignorance never being good for anything.

"Oh," said Ginny suddenly, reaching inside her large jacket pocket. Harry noticed she looked tired. "Here's all your letters- Mum said the Dumbledore has had them all scanned and forwarded here."

Harry had two; the usual Hogwarts letter and one from the ministry. Harry got the ministry one over and done with; it was notice about his court hearing concerning the Dementor attack. His school letter was nothing unusual, unlike Hermione and Ron's; they had been made Prefects, along with Padma. Parvati had also two letters; one from school and one, surprisingly, from Lavender Brown.

"Wow," said Parvati as she scanned the epistle. "Lavender's going in a modelling competition. It's hosted by Witch Weekly, whoever wins get a contract with Magic Modelling…"

Padma asked, "Reckon she'd have a chance?" and Ron burst out, "Yeah!" which made Hermione glower at him and Ginny mumble something sounding like 'tactless'.

Parvati quickly changed the subject, and grinned wickedly. "Mum really likes you, Harry," she commented. "I don't think she expected a fifteen year old to be so polite."

Harry looked confused, rubbing his aching scar absently. "All I did was introduce myself!"

"Yeah, but you called her m'am; I don't think anyone's called her that in years!"

Padma, Ginny and Hermione laughed. Hermione then offered to show Parvati and Padma their room, which left Harry and Ron on their own. Harry decided right then to wait to tell Hermione and Ron about his nightmares, in which he saw they and Parvati dead; dead because he could not save them.

They chatted animatedly for a while about Quidditch before Mrs Weasley called them down for dinner. It was an eventful affair; all the teenagers learnt more about what was going on than they had sourced from the Extendable Ears (much to the chagrin of Mrs Weasley and Patil), Harry and Parvati had been subject to good-natured teasing from Fred, George and Sirius as they talked quietly between themselves. Parvati endured their teasing with a grin; tonight she'd finally get to do something a little inappropriate - sneak into Harry's bedroom. Harry had assured Parvati that not even a person yelling with a _sonorus_ charm cast on them could wake Ron normally, not to mention with the added charm of George's.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati placed her hand around Harry's bicep, feeling a little light-headed; as prudish as it sounded to people like Lavender, she'd never been this close to a boy before, and it was a very odd experience. A _good_ kind of odd, Parvati added to herself as she slowly moulded her body to Harry's, until she could feel every part of him. She had successfully tiptoed out of her room, down the hall by candlelight and found company with her boyfriend. She had eagerly closed the door and climbed in under the sheets. Even if they did get caught (which she sincerely hoped they wouldn't) they weren't going to do anything inappropriate, and were keeping their clothes on. Well, most of them, anyways… Parvati grinned.

"So, am I ever going to get my birthday present?"

She could feel Harry's grin. "Would you like it now?" he asked.

"Please?"

Harry laughed as Parvati lifted her head from its position and gave him a cute pout, her hand resting on his right pec. Harry gave her a kiss on her forehead and Parvati screwed up her face in reply before letting out a low giggle. The green-eyed teen rolled his eyes and conceded. "Okay, let me just get it."

Parvati sighed; she didn't want to move from this position, she was comfortable, and Harry was awfully cute as he played with her hair, watching her through his lopsided glasses. _Although, I do want my present_, though Parvati greedily. Harry reached for a small box Parvati hadn't noticed that had been lying on his bedside table. Parvati moved until she was sitting on top of her boyfriend.

"Happy birthday, love," said Harry as he opened the box.

Parvati gasped. "Oh, Harry…" she breathed.

It was a small heart-shaped golden locket, emblazoned with an intricate design. On the top left corner was a small amethyst.

"Hermione got it for me in the first week of the holidays, seeing as I have, like no idea about jewellery, and I wouldn't have been able to buy it with Wizarding money at a Muggle store." Harry explained, looking slightly embarrassed at Parvati's awed expression. "And I didn't know your birthstone, I'm horrid with stuff like that, so I just picked one of your favourite colours and--"

Parvati throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a long, deep kiss stopped him. Once she came up for air, Parvati said happily, "Oh, Harry, it's beautiful. Thankyou, thankyou, _thankyou_!"

An hour passed, full of playful banter, content sighs and sharing of lame pick up lines. They had spent the last the minutes in happy silence, listening to each other breathe.

Harry was playing with a lock of Parvati's hair, as though curious. "It's going curly," he commented softly, his warm breath splaying her hair.

"Mmm-hmm," confirmed Parvati as she buried her face in his warm chest, her voice muffled. Harry had his hand under her shirt, tracing circles on her skin idly. They stayed that way, comfortably, for quite a while, their breathing in rhythm. Sensing that they might not have a chance to talk privately again for a while (for Mrs Weasley seemed determined to get the house clean, making sure everyone took an active part), Parvati summoned up her courage, lifted her head and said hesitantly, "Harry."

"Yeah?"

She had seen the dark circles under his haunted eyes, the hands brought up to his scar when he thought no one was looking. "You're not okay," she stated.

She could feel Harry gulp. "N-no. Not really."

"What's wrong?" She held his intense gaze. She almost missed his answer, Harry was whispering so softly.

"In my dreams, I see this room."

Parvati waited with bated breath. Harry knew she wouldn't like what she would hear; but Harry was so terrified that she would See it herself.

"I see you dead. Ron and Hermione, too."

Parvati's face registered shock, and then, to Harry's surprise, she frowned and muttered, "Well, that doesn't make sense. But then _that_ does make sense…"

Upon seeing her boyfriend's confused expression, Parvati elaborated, "About a week ago I Saw a vision of the future, but I couldn't make out who the people were in it. I only just realised…it is this little girl, she's talking to her dad, and she's asking if she can open her Christmas presents. The dad says no, we have to wait for the girl's mum, and then the dad calls out my name."

Harry stared. "What, you think the mum's you? In the future?"

"No, I know it's not me- get this - It's _Hermione_. But my name's called, and I'm rushing down the stairs."

Harry took Parvati's hand, his emerald eyes keen and intrigued. "Who's the dad? Am I there?"

"I…maybe I shouldn't tell you." At seeing Harry's face, she said defensively, "Well, you might tell them, or hint at it!"

"Cross my heart and hope to die, I won't hint at whoever Hermione gets with at all." Harry was grinning.

"You better be serious. And don't give me that look, Mr Green Eyes."

"Mr Green Eyes?"

"If you know what's good for you you'll shut up so I can finish the story.

"The dad is….oh, bollocks, it's Ron. All I Saw was Hermione, Ron, their little girl and heard my name called out.. But it doesn't match up with your nightmare, because Ron, Hermione and I are all in the future…I didn't See you, though. I didn't even See myself."

Harry looked away and mumbled, "Maybe I'm not in your future." It was crazy; they had only been dating for a few months, and they were only fifteen, but picturing his life without Parvati made his head spin. It was almost as terrifying as Lord Voldemort. His relief that his nightmare, although altogether too vivid and painful, was most likely false, could not wash away the pain of losing Par.

Parvati squeezed Harry's intertwined hand so hard that her nails dug into the back of his hand. "Look at me, Harry," she whispered, her voice determined and commanding.

Harry met her gaze, falling into the depths of her chocolate eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, Harry," she vowed. "I don't need to be a Seer to know that."

"I might."

Harry thought he heard Parvati swear softly under her breath. His eyes pleaded with her as he explained desperately, speaking fast, "I keep seeing Voldemort inside my head, I keep seeing inside his dreams, what he's planning; he wants me dead, Par."

Parvati's eyes raged with intensity.

"I don't want you to get hurt…"

Suddenly, it became clear to Parvati. "So," she snapped, her tears welling in her eyes, "I guess the locket is a goodbye present, then?"

"No, no!" protested Harry wildly. How on earth had the conversation turned to _this_? "It's not, I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't want his stupid fucking dreams to become reality. _I love you, Parvati, and there'll be hell to pay if anyone tries to hurt you_!"

Harry stopped, looking wild, staring wide-eyed. He'd said it. He'd finally said it out loud.

"Y-you…you love me?" squeaked Parvati. Harry nodded in reply; it seemed his mouth wasn't working.

"I love you too, Harry," said Parvati, her eyes searching his face frantically, as if waiting for something.

"I won't let him get you."

Parvati gave a weak smile. "I know you won't."

Harry leaned over and gave Parvati such a kiss that it made her dizzy. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"I'm sorry I can't See you in my future. _Yet_."

Harry gave a lopsided sort of smile. Parvati raised her hands dramatically, and said in a spaced out voice, "But, my dear…my Inner Eye tells me that you'll be sticking around for a while…!"

Harry laughed at Parvati's poor imitation of Professor Trelawney, and grabbed her by the waist, so that she lay on top on him as he was strewn on the bed. They snogged for what seemed like hours in the dim light, before Harry began to place butterfly kisses along Parvati's collarbone. Harry murmured, "I'll never let you go." and Parvati replied, "I sure never hope so,", and they stayed in each other's embrace until the candlewick had burned, and darkness covered them as if a blanket.

* * *

**A/N:** I have one thing to say: MUAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!  
(If you thought this was just one big no-one-gets-hurt-or-dies-love-fest, you are sorely mistaken!)  
Reviews, pretty please!


	16. Under This Conditon

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay. In short, I got caught up in the _Twilight _hype. Plus, this chapter's been a bitch. The next one's a lot cooler. I'm planning on speeding up stuff and having a bit more action. Magical Makeup and Witching Hour are products of my own imagination. Uhm, this chapter has a few implications into Harry and Parvati's future. It's kinda subtle, though. I hope. Chapter Title is from Jack Mannequin's _Dark Blue._ (Wow, I just realised. My chapters start happy and the descend into the dark stuff. Muahaha, the next chapter won't...)

..::ooOOOoo::..

Mrs Weasley's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the scene before her. This wasn't what she had expected to find in Ron's room at six in the morning! "Oh my- Sirius! Leah! I think you'd both better come here!"

Sirius, having just left his bedroom, and Leah Patil, having just left the bathroom, dressed, shot each other confused looks. They followed Mrs Weasley's voice, and stood next to her at the door.

"Molly?" asked Leah, concerned. "What's wrong?"

Molly pointed towards Harry's bed, and Sirius and Leah followed her gaze. Leah choked on her own spit and Sirius let out a bark-like laugh that had Molly give him a scolding look. But Sirius couldn't help it.

It wasn't everyday you woke up at six o'clock to find two half naked fifteen year olds entangled in each other's limbs and sheets.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry felt as though he had spontaneously combusted; his cheeks felt as though they were on fire. The green-eyed teen was keeping his eyes firmly on the bedroom floor, hoping it would swallow him up. He was determinedly avoiding Sirius's gaze. He tried to focus on what Mrs Weasley and Mrs Patil were saying, but with Parvati so close to him, and her wonderful scent driving him senses crazy, it was very hard to.

"…very irresponsible! Only fifteen, and in the same bed!" Mrs Weasley was saying shrilly. "Honestly, Harry, what would your parents make of this?"

Harry felt his cheeks burn in more shame than embarrassment. Sirius cleared his throat.

"Now, now, Molly," Sirius began, raising his palms to her, "I don't mean to offend, but you are not the parental authority here. Perhaps you should leave this to Leah and I. I am Harry's godfather, after all."

Mrs Weasley gave a great sigh, and seeing the reasoning, headed out of the room. Mrs Patil and Sirius were sitting on Ron's bed opposite Harry's, where Parvati and Harry were perched, appropriately attired.

"Look, Harry, Par," started Mrs Patil, "I vowed a long time ago that I would not do what my mother told me to do, which was how to live my life. I won't tell you what you can and can't do, but I want to make two things very clear - _one_, you are only _fifteen_ years of age. You don't need to rush anything. And _two_, if you…do….decide to, uh, _rush_ things…well, be _safe, _please?"

Harry gulped loudly, and chanced a look at his girlfriend. Parvati's face was bright red, which made Harry want to laugh. She looked so cute when she was embarrassed, especially since her hair was all mussed up.

She hissed "_Mum_! Seriously, do you have to say that in front of him!" she waved her hand in an elaborate fashion at Harry. "We…we're…I mean…We.." She started to splutter. "We..._We are not having this conversation!_ I...."

Harry swallowed, but looked directly at Parvati's mum as he said firmly, We're not anywhere near that stage, yet, Mrs Patil."

Sirius looked equally as uncomfortable as Harry and Parvati as he said, "Well, you said exactly my sentiments, Leah. But I think, for Molly's sake, you two should refrain from nightly tête-à-têtes, eh?" The dark-haired man rubbed the back of his neck.

Parvati mumbled, "Yes," and Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

Sirius laughed. "Sir?"

"Sorry, Sirius. Reflex."

"No problem, kiddo."

Mrs Patil sprung from the bed and motioned to Parvati. "Come on, love, why don't we have some breakfast?"

Completely humiliated, she gave Harry a small tentative smile and a squeeze of his hand before she followed her mother out of the room. Harry rose at the same time as Sirius.

His godfather clapped him on the shoulder, looking very awkward.

"Uh, Harry…you have had 'The Talk', haven't you?"

Harry, if possibly, went redder. "Uh, yeah, Uncle Vernon gave it to me last year…"

Sirius sighed visibly with relief. "Thank Merlin. You know, I'm not used to all this parenting type stuff."

Harry smiled. "You're doing a good job. Trust me."

Sirius grinned. "Yeah, well…anyways, Harry, I just wanted to let you know, that if your dear old dad was still around he'd be pretty proud of last night's efforts."

Sirius left Harry utterly mortified.

What an embarrassing summer this would turn out to be!

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry and Parvati were subjected to much teasing during the holidays, but found that it became less and less, although every time Harry rounded a room the Weasley twins would pounce on him. They were attempting to re-enact the scene of Parvati jumping Harry and pulling him in for a spectacular kiss when he'd come back from the Ministry and announced he'd been cleared of all charges.

Parvati gently resting her head on his shoulder shook Harry out of the memory. She was sitting on the seat next to him on the Knight Bus. Harry supposed that it wasn't very comfy, but his girlfriend seemed to be comfortable. The green-eyed teen smiled at her. She'd been so excited when Lavender had owled her; Lavender had won the modelling competition, and now had a contract. "She gets to appear in _Witch Weekly_ soon!" the brown haired girl had squealed with obvious delight for her best friend. "And she'll be the face of _Magical Makeup_!"

The holidays passed in a blur, and Harry couldn't believe it was already time to go back to Hogwarts. As the bus wheeled in and out of London traffic, Harry thought back to those events that stuck vividly in his memory…

Nightmares of Voldemort continued throughout the summer, imbuing Harry with unease. He was constantly tired, never getting enough sleep; he'd taken to walking around the house at night, as if he could somehow tire himself out into slumber. That was what he explained to a concerned Sirius, anyway; Harry decided that his godfather didn't need to know that Harry spent darkest night ghosting the silent house to avoid sleep; to avoid Voldemort's high, cold voice, to avoid Cedric's lifeless eyes...

Harry had been surprised to find Ginny doing the same one night. The two stood near the kicthen counter, drinking tea, swapping nightmare stories. It had taken a while to coax it out of her, but Ginny finally admitted that she still had nightmares about Tom Riddle. The diary. The friendship. The trust. The power. The fear. The betrayal. Pale moonlight highlighted the redhead's features, the dark shadows under her eyes prominent. This revelation had Harry feeling like someone had thrust a dagger into his side and twisted it. He was so stupid; how could he simply forget about what had happened to her? The sense of brotherly affection and the need to protect and aid Ginny Weasley became strong for Harry. His actions, his mistake in telling Cedric to take the cup with him, had already brought his Parvati nightmares; and now he had mistakenly thought Ginny would be okay after her ordeal.

Harry felt pathetic. He couldn't do anything right. Ginny rested a hand on Harry's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Harry. None of it is."

Harry wasn't sure if Ginny was just referring to her nightmares or not. He was about to reply when suddenly, voices and footfalls from outside the kitchen became apparent. The voices were angry, and the footsteps quick. On somewhat childish instinct, Harry and Ginny ducked behind the counter, hoping whoever was coming wasn't angry at them.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin entered the kitchen. Sirius was in his pyjamas, and it looked as though Remus had just come off Order duty; his well-worn clothes were covered in dust and he had a long cut along his cheek. Sirius sounded angry, and Remus sounded like he was trying to keep his temper in check; an odd thing for the usually calm man.

"Look," began Remus, "If you'd just let me explain-"

"You never told me, Remus!" hissed Sirius. "I had to hear it from Tonks, for crying out loud! She said that Hana-" Harry fuzzily recalled a blonde woman who escorted his from the Dursley's, "-had to verify her identity on a mission, and that she said her last name was Lupin! We've been sitting around here for two months and you just happened to forget to mention that you're married and have a kid?"

Harry and Ginny's mouths fell open in unison. Married? A kid? _Lupin_?

Remus sighed as Sirius grabbed a bottle of Firewhisky off the counter. Harry silently thanked the stars that he didn't notice the two tea cups. "Look, Sirius, Hana and I both decided we didn't want anyone to know- no, listen to me!" he said quickly, for Sirius made to interject. "Listen, Sirius! It would completely tarnish her name and her career if people knew, being married to a werewolf isn't the easiest thing in the world!"

Sirius took a large gulp of firewhisky before sighing. "I'm sorry, Remus," he apologised. "It's - it was just a shock to me. For some reason I thought everything would be just like before Azkaban."

Remus smiled, waving away the apology. "No need, Sirius, old friend. I understand."

They were silent for a moment before Sirius said, "So, how old is she? Your daughter?"

Remus grinned, looking younger than Harry could ever remember seeing him. "She's three. Her name's Grace; Grace Hana Lupin."

"Harry?" Parvati waved her hand in front of Harry's in a flourish. "C'mon, this is our stop. Hogwarts Express, here we come!"

..::ooOOOoo::..

"I can't _believe_ her," Hermione hissed, uncharacteristically seething. The knuckles were white as she gripped her fork and stabbed her steak moodily. "Did you hear what she was saying?"

Harry sighed, stressed. "No, I kind of spaced out, but I got the general message."

With the arrival of Professor Umbridge, and the constant suspicious looks Harry was thrown, the Welcoming Feast turned out to be not so welcoming for Harry and his friends. To top it all off, Hagrid wasn't at the head table. Lavender and Seamus were slightly oblivious to the whole thing. They were too busy locking lips.

Harry sighed louder, and threw an anxious glance behind him to some third year Slytherins who were whispering loudly. He wasn't sure if he was being paranoid, or self-conscious, but it seemed like everyone was staring at him, passing judgement. It was worse than his second year, when students thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. The air around his group of friends was thick with tension. Hermione, Harry, Parvati, Ron and Dean were equally mad about the You-Know-Who situation. It seemed everyone thought Harry was lying!

Harry closed his eyes, as if pained. What, did they all think Cedric Diggory just dropped dead of his own accord?

..::ooOOOoo::..

Lavender Brown had everything to be happy about, and was rightly so celebrating. She was back at Hogwarts, a place she loved. She was dating one of the hottest people in the school, (and not a bad kisser, either) Seamus Finnegan. She was going to appear in the hottest magazine around, _Witch Weekly_, not to mention be the cover girl for her favourite brand of cosmetics, _Magical Makeup_! Lavender swore by their foundation (and had told poor Eloise Midgeon of this) and their fruity flavoured lip-glosses were to _die_ for. To top it all off, she had the cutest baby brother in the world, Sage Brown.

That is why she had decided to crack open a few bottles of Firewhisky late in the evening in her dorm. She nudged Parvati with one of the bottles, but she didn't notice. Parvati was too absorbed looking through the latest copy of Witching Hour, the Wizarding World's top fashion magazine. Lavender smirked; one day she'd be in there, and Parvati could be admiring what she was wearing. At least, the nice part of Miss Brown noticed, Parvati wasn't worrying about what everyone was saying about You-Know-Who for a change. The girl need to stress less!

"Hey," started Parvati suddenly, "Do you think this is chiffon?" She was pointing at a dark blue dress. Lavender rolled her eyes.

"I don't know, you're the fashion material expert, right? Hey, Par, have a drink with me!"

Parvati eyed the bottle in Lav's hand warily. "No, thanks."

Lavender sighed. "Hermione?" she offered. The bushy haired witch rose out from behind her Ancient Runes textbook. She'd been doing some 'light reading' again. Hermione wrinkled her nose. "No way."

"C'mon," cried Lavender, settling herself on the end of Parvati's bed, "Where's your Gryffindor courage?"

"Sitting safely with my logic," remarked Hermione dryly. "Do you realise how many brain cells you're going to lose, Lavender?"

Parvati asked, a bit curious, "Where'd you get it?"

"Seamus, who got it from Fred and George, who got it from Oliver Wood, who got it from Madam Rosmerta."

"How'd Wood manage that?"

Lavender waved her hand dramatically. "Who knows! Who cares! C'mon, Pav, just have some!"

Parvati thought it over. It was only one little bottle, it was not like she'd be blind drunk…what was the worse that could happen?

_Oh,_ realised Parvati, _I'd blurt out secret stuff, like stuff about my visions or about Harry…_

"It'll be fine, Parvati," assured Lavender, "Just remember, anything that is said in the dorm, stays in the dorm. I promise."

Parvati bit her lip, and took the opened bottle from Lavender. Hermione huffed loudly behind her, "Peer pressure…"

Parvati tried to give the bushy haired witch a reassuring smile. "I'm only going to drink one bottle, Hermione- _you_ can make sure of that. And at least my first time drinking is with people I trust, and not at a party…" Parvati cleverly left out the _'just like Lavender did in fourth year.'_

Hermione didn't look too convinced. "We're fifteen, for Christ's sake! It's a bit young to be doing this!"

Lavender took a hefty swig from her bottle, eyeing Hermione lazily from her lavish four poster bed. "There's first years that do this, Hermione."

Hermione looked revolted, and choked, "_Eleven_ year olds? Seriously?!"

"Duh."

Parvati hesitated a moment, not meeting Hermione's eyes, and took her first gulp of alcohol. The first thing she realised was that she shouldn't have gulped it; Oh, Firewhisky _burned_! Lavender giggled as she watched her best friend pull a face and Hermione looked smug.

"See?" said the bright witch. "It's not that great after all."

Lavender rolled her eyes and said, "Have another go, Parvati, it gets better after a while."

Hermione didn't even try to be quiet as she said, "Yeah, once you're so off it you don't care!"

Parvati drank a few more mouthfuls over the next the minutes, until she had downed a quarter of the bottle; Firewhisky didn't taste any better, and she felt funny, like she did when she was having a vision; disorientated…and _Sweet Mother of Merlin_, should her head be hurting this much? She hadn't had that much to drink; surely she shouldn't be reacting like this? W-What were those flashes of? People? Places? She heard the voices, the different dialects and accents, saw the mindless faces. What was happening?

"_-The horror stories I've heard-"  
"-Kill the spare-"  
"-marry me?-"  
"-Momma-"  
"-over there, put it there-"  
"-seventh month dies-"  
"-I trusted you!-"  
"-I thought he said-"_

There were too many visions, too many! And why were they so fuzzy? Why couldn't she _See? _Parvati let out a sob, half-aware of what was happening. She screamed. Both her sight and Sight were out of her control.

Hermione quickly held onto Parvati tightly as she began to sway. "What's-?" Parvati tried to ask, but everything seemed to be going out of focus, and her tongue was tied. All of a sudden, it was like she was looking through a kaleidoscope. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she heard Hermione scream.


	17. Transmission

**A/N:** Thanks to the lovely **Tonks-Shadow** for the advice concerning this chapter. All the little bits of info in this chapter, like Queen Maeve and Professor Babbling have been sourced from the **HP Lexicon**, so it's all canon baby!

* * *

"Harry, you heard Madam Pomfrey. She's going to be fine."

"I know, Hermione."

"You should go and get some sleep."

"So should you."

"No…I have to stay."

Harry locked his gaze with Hermione's. She bit her lip, her eyes downcast. "It's my fault Parvati's like this," mumbled Hermione awkwardly. "I stupidly abandoned my Prefect principles…I completely disregarded the rules, just because I knew Lavender and Parvati. I should have stepped in and stopped Lavender." She slumped in her seat, her eyes surveying a deeply sleeping Parvati, clothed in hospital attire.

Harry placed an awkward hand on Hermione's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Hermione- it's _not_," the green-eyed teen added firmly as Hermione didn't look convinced.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine," she conceded, "But will you please go to bed? You're getting little sleep already without this…._what_, you think I don't notice?"

Harry smiled weakly. "Can we not talk about that?"

Hermione stared at Harry for a moment before relenting. "So how are you and Parvati going?"

"Good. Good."

"Harry….when was the time last you took her out?"

"Uh, after the second task last year?"

"_Harry Potter_."

"Oh, no. What have I done wrong now?"

"Harry!"

"What!"

"You've got to be a little more romantic, or Parvati will feel like you don't like her that much anymore."

"Did she tell you that?" Harry queried worriedly.

"No, but every girl likes a bit of affection. And not just on Valentine's Day, either." pointed out Hermione.

"So…what should I do?"

"Honestly, Harry, sometimes I think you're as bad as Ron."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Please don't."

"Ha, ha."

"Take her out. Surprise her with flowers. Do whatever you did at Grimmauld Place that made her smile for the rest of the day."

Harry's face went as red as Weasley hair.

"Ooooh…" teased Hermione. "What did you _do_, Harry?"

"Nothing," said Harry firmly.

The two friends were silent for a moment, before Hermione whispered, "We're lucky Madam Pomfrey won't tell anyone what happened. Very lucky. It was very nice of her. Lavender could get expelled."

"Mmmm."

"Harry, go to bed."

"Herm-"

"I'll bet you ten galleons Professor Umbridge will be looking out for anything to make you look stupid, so we can't have you falling asleep in class." Harry sighed, and got up. He squeezed Parvati's hand.

Hermione was deadly serious as Harry went to bid her goodnight.

"We can't let Fudge or the Daily Prophet spin more lies about you. There are lives at stake, Harry. You-Know-Who's returned, and the saner you seem, the more insane rumours will stop."

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati awoke, bleary-eyed. She saw on a small clock next to her that it was five in the morning. There was something brown and bushy draped over her right arm.

"Hermione," Parvati whispered. "Hermione, wake up."

Hermione, still in her pyjamas, groaned and pushed herself up, slowly registering Parvati's conscious presence.

"Parvati!" she cried. "You're awake! How are you feeling? Oh, gosh, I'm so so sorry-"

"I'm okay, Hermione. Thanks…guess I'm just a lightweight," the brown haired girl joked weakly. "Um, how did I get here?" The last thing she remembered was seeing and hearing all those weird, disconnected visions - about people and places she had never know - and then passing out.

"I got Harry and Dean to carry you up to the hospital wing; it was terrifying, we didn't want to get caught. Of course, we had Harry's invisibility cloak draped over you, so it would just look like Harry and Dean were in weird positions, but still. I tried to get Ron to help, because he's stronger than Dean, but the stupid prat wouldn't wake up." Here Hermione paused. "Again, I'd like to apologise. I feel so horrid for letting this happen to you."

Parvati shook her head in disagreement, and to her relief it didn't hurt one bit. "It's my fault, I shouldn't have given into 'peer pressure', as you put it….although I don't think anyone could have guessed what would happen."

"Guess you're sight isn't as sharp as we thought it was, Pav," came a sweet voice from the hospital wing threshold. Parvati looked up to see an uncharacteristically guilty-looking, pyjama-clad Lavender Brown. Lavender walked to Parvati's side, apologising at a mile a minute. Hermione left and returned with Madam Pomfrey, who told Parvati she was okay to go, and not to worry about her Head of House finding out- apparently Madam Pomfrey had dealt with much more scandalous things in the past. The Matron only advised Parvati to think wisely next time, to which Parvati embarrassedly and guiltily agreed.

Together, the three unlikely companions sneaked back to their dorm room.

..::ooOOOoo::..

"Hey," came a familiar, concerned voice from behind Parvati, and she turned to see Harry. They were standing near the common room fire; Parvati was sorting out her books for today before she went down for breakfast. "How are you feeling?"

Parvati replied by giving her boyfriend a tight hug. "Better," she said softly, looking embarrassed. "Thanks for carrying me up to the Wing." She let out a nervous chuckle. "I was so stupid."

Harry frowned and kissed Parvati on the nose. "That's okay," he said quietly, ignoring her previous comment. Parvati let her head rest into Harry's chest, sighing. "You smell good," she commented randomly. "Like soap."

Harry smiled. "Yeah, I just had a shower. Um, hey, I was thinking, maybe on Saturday we could go on a date? It's not a Hogsmeade weekend or anything, but I know this place in the castle we could go."

Parvati smiled. Her day just got a whole lot brighter. "That'd be great!"

"Great."

Parvati grabbed her book bag, linked her hand with Harry's, and together they walked down to the Great Hall.

"You ready to get back into school?" she asked.

"Yeah, it should be all right. Not too keen on Umbridge though."

Parvati frowned. "No."

"Speaking of unpleasant things," Harry said dryly, gesturing towards Seamus and Ron, who were having a contest to see who could eat their breakfast the quickest. Lavender had her hand on Seamus' forearm, torn between looking flirtatiously amused and degusted. Parvati giggled as they joined the table.

Breakfast was a loud, quick affair (Ron won the contest), and soon enough they were headed to Defence against the Dark Arts. ("Perfect," Harry had muttered.)

"Oh, bugger," cursed Parvati as she took her seat next to Lavender.

"What?" her friend asked.

"My butterfly clip!" gestured Parvati sadly to the bejewelled hairpiece. "It broke!"

Lavender rolled at her eyes at Parvati. "Honey, that's what _magic_ is for. Reparo!"

"Five points from Gryffindor…Miss Brown, is it?"

The whole class turned to the sugary speaker. There, in all her toad-like glory, was Professor Umbridge. She was wearing shades of horrid pink Parvati didn't even know existed. Oh, Merlin, did that tweed jacket have _silk_ on it? Deftly Parvati clipped her fixed butterfly back into her hair, blessing magic and cursing her toad teacher.

"Yeah, Lavender Brown, Professor." replied Lavender, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder as her teacher walked to the front of the classroom.

"Oh, does your father work at the Ministry?"

"Uhh, yeah. At the International Magic Office of Law."

"Well, Miss Brown," continued Umbridge in her sickly sweet voice, "You see, in my classroom, wand-waving and magic is not permitted. Three points from Gryffindor then, and best sure to send my best to your father."

Lavender nodded, her mouth hanging open slightly. The class started to murmur.

"No magic?" cried out Harry from where he sat with Ron. "You're kidding me, right?"

..::ooOOOoo::..

"She's off her bloody rocker, the old toad."

"Just leave it, Ron."

"But a week of detentions!"

"RON! Just leave it, alright?" hissed Harry back at his friend, who looked affronted at this. Harry dumped his bag on the space free next to him as he sat down for lunch, fuming. Ten minutes and three people scolding him later (Hermione, McGonagall and Angelina, the new Quidditch Captain), Harry wasn't doing so well. He picked moodily at his food. Why the heck wouldn't everyone leave him alone? He could deal with things on his own! He wasn't two!

Trying to calm himself down, Harry engaged in conversation again. Padma had come over to their table, talking to Hermione excitedly about Ancient Runes.

"Professor Babbling says it's time to be 'out with the old, in with the new'," quoted Hermione.

"Like Shiva," piped up Padma, only to shrink away as everyone gave her confused looks. "Hindi god, part of the Trimurti…God of creative destruction…never mind…" She sighed. "So yeah, we get to find hidden messages in children's books."

Harry frowned. "Best not let Umbridge find out. She's anti everything, apart from the Ministry."

"Well, yeah, I'm doing Cinderella…but Hermione's sweet, she's doing The Tale of the Three Brothers."

"It doesn't sound very ancient runes…there's no runes," said Neville nervously.

"Well, it's looking for hidden meaning in stuff…besides, there's only so much you can do on Wizarding runes written in 6000 BCE."

Harry smiled faintly, hoping his classes were as good as Hermione's had been.

..::ooOOOoo::..

The rest of the week for Harry was torture; literally, with Umbridge, and Harry swore that Dumbledore was avoiding him. The only thing Harry had to look forward to was his date with Parvati.

"Where _are_ you taking me, Harry?" laughed Parvati, her hoop earrings sparkling in the light. Of course, she looked amazing.

Harry grinned. "Oh, you'll see….here we are!"

"It's a pear."

"A _ticklish_ pear."

"You brought me to a ticklish pear…oh, wow."

Harry grabbed Parvati's hand and lead her through to the kitchens, where Dobby had happily set up a table and two chairs for the two. Parvati excitedly plonked herself into her chair, and met Dobby, who was easily just as excited.

"I is wearing the socks you and Harry Potter sir picked for Dobby!" the house-elf cried, to which Parvati laughed.

"Hey, Harry, so what are we eating this evening?"

"Uh, pizza." Harry grinned.

Parvati giggled. "How romantic; now all we need are-"

"Oh, look, they brought candles."

Parvati squeezed Harry's hand. "This is lovely, Harry. Thank you."

"No problem, let's just hope Colin doesn't spring out from somewhere!"

"Hey, we never got those photos from him, did we? We'll have to get them."

The date went smoothly (Colin Creevy was nowhere in sight), and at ten-thirty pm, Harry and Parvati were sneaking back under the invisibility cloak. They got - distracted - at one point, so it took them at least half an hour to reach the Fat Lady. Once inside the common room, Parvati said, "Harry, thanks again. I had such a great time." She looked down at his hand as she squeezed it gently.

"Harry…Harry….what's that on your hand?" Parvati asked fearfully. "Oh my god. That's not writing lines. That's _sick_."

Harry quickly drew back his hand. "It's nothing, Par. Don't worry about it."

"Worry? _Worry_! How can I _not_ worry, Harry! You're not sleeping, I know you blame yourself for everything that's happened, and now _this_! You don't need this! That's it, I'm telling Dumbledore-"

"NO!" shouted Harry angrily. Parvati froze. Harry had never raised his voice with her before. "Parvati, I'm fine, I don't need Dumbledore, I don't need anyone-"

"Oh?" cried Parvati, close to tears. "So, what, you don't need me?"

"No, no, _no_, that's not what I meant- of _course_ I need you-"

"Don't you trust me?"

"I _do_."

"Then why didn't you tell me what that horrible woman was doing, huh?!"

"I didn't want to worry you. You'd just get upset."

"You don't tell me anything!"

"What's the point?" snarled Harry. "You'd probably just go tell Lavender anyway."

"Hey, don't make this about me! And don't bring Lavender into this!"

"I'll do whatever I _want_, Parvati."

"Fine," choked Parvati, "fine. You can do whatever you want _without me_."

Harry looked like he was going to be sick. "Fine."

"Fine!" yelled Parvati back, furious that she let him see her tears, and stormed up into her dorm. She slammed the door shut before letting out a sob.

* * *

**A/N:** Uh oh, trouble in paradise. Review please!


	18. We Throw Our Words Around

**Chapter 21: We Throw Our Words Around As If They Were Not Gold **

Harry stood, motionless. He didn't know if seconds had passed or hours or days.

What the hell had just happened?

Shocked, and eerily feeling like he was deaf, Harry blindly walked up to his dorm. He didn't remember flicking on the light, but suddenly everything was very bright. He heard the muted voice of Ron yelling at him to turn off the lights. Slowly, Harry turned to look at Ron. Ron's face fell into an expression Harry couldn't quite place.

"Harry?" came Ron's voice. Harry blinked a couple of times; it was like his ears had been stopped up, or like someone had turned the volume down of the television. "Mate, what's happened? Is someone hurt?"

Harry shook his head, turned off the lights, and left Ron in the dark.

The green-eyed teenager walked down to the bathroom. He took off the watch that no longer worked, took off his shoes, and turned on the shower taps. He opened the door, closed the door, slid down the wall, unwanted tears mingled with frigid cold water, and tried to ignore the headache he felt coming on.

He tried to ignore the searing pain in his lightning-bolt shaped scar.

He tried to ignore the voice in his head that said _you did not deserve her._

Harry groaned. He placed his head in his hands, anguished. Parvati had been right: he should have trusted in her. It was just so new, having another person whom he could wholly trust to keep his secrets and to confide in. Parvati could be another person who might have a logical reason for why, in Harry's detentions with Umbridge, he had felt such pain and happiness when Umbridge had touched him. God, Harry felt like such a fool! He always pushed those he loved away! Maybe-

Harry's scar smarted suddenly, and a jolt of thrill and anger pulsed through his every fibre. Harry's heartbeat quickened: What…what if…what if these feeling were coming straight from Lord Voldemort to Harry? Umbridge was not around this time.

_Sweet Merlin_…his head throbbed so badly…

The pain coming from his scar worsened, until the green-eyed teenager could no longer see straight. Harry's eyes rolled into the back of his head as the intense pain reached its climax, and after a moment, Harry stared back at his reflection.

The mirror was dirty with dust and old blood, but Voldemort's red, gleaming eyes could be seen quite clearly in the reflection.

The Dark Lord appraised the quivering form to his right of the dimly lit room.

"_My Lord, my lord, please, forgive me-_"

"Silence, Wormtail." Voldemort's high voice cut clearly through the room.

Voldemort's long fingers closed briefly over his wand. "You have failed to find a way into this room, Wormtail." Snake eyes became mere slits, and Lord Voldemort's high voice became a low, ominous whisper. "And in turn you have failed me yet again."

Voldemort raised his sable wand high and pointed it at the standing man. A curse darted across the room and hit its target squarely.

Wormtail's whimpers pervaded the night air, but were not as chilling as the disinterested look found within the Dark Lord's cerise eyes. The skeletal figure ghosted around Wormtail, casually twirling his wand in his spider-like hands, his presence menacing. Fear was prominent in Wormtail's eyes as he observed the wand that now threatened his nose.

"Wormtail…"

"Yes, my Lord!" snivelled the balding man.

"You, Wormtail," Voldemort ordered, "You will not fail me again."

The Death Eater nodded with terrible fervour.

Voldemort's thin mouth curved into a simpering smile, as his beloved snake Nagini snaked her way onto his shoulders. "Nagini shall lower the defences, won't you?" he whispered to his snake. His gaze went back to Wormtail.

"Now, before you leave, Wormtail…as penance for your sins…_Crucio_!"

As Wormtail's screams penetrated the air, Lord Voldemort's eyes closed. _I will obtain the prophecy._

Harry's eyelids flew open, but he could not see. This did not matter to him.

He felt as though he was on fire.

Worse than a basilisk fang through his arm, worse than Pettigrew slicing for his blood: it was though the Cruciatus curse had been placed upon Harry, and its caster would not lift it. Lord Voldemort's final words of _I will obtain the prophecy _blazed through Harry's head before the waves of pain reared high and crashed, drowning him in a black chasm.

.::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati tripped dazedly up the girl's dormitory staircase, tears threatening to fall from her brown eyes. She felt as thought the silence that flitted through the sleeping castle was far too loud; so loud it might make her ears bleed.

_I've lost…I've lost him…_

She felt sick to her stomach. She looked from Hermione, immersed in a book with Runes scrawled all over it, to Lavender, immersed in her own reflection, and burst into tears. Lavender abandoned her mirror and dashed over to her best friend.

"Parvati!" she shrieked. "What's wrong?"

Parvati sobbed harder, her grief wracking her frame. The pretty witch enveloped her inconsolable friend into a tight hug. Parvati began to cry hysterically and it took Lavender a good twenty minutes to calm her down.

"_I think I just b-broke up with - with Harry_," whispered Parvati finally, before letting out another anguished cry. She gripped tighter onto Lavender.

"Oh, honey," said Lavender sadly. "C'mon, it'll all be okay…shhh now…it's going to be all right…you're very pretty, you'll have plenty of other boyfriends…"

Parvati pulled away from Lavender, looking shocked.

"Look," reasoned the witch, "I know it's not what you want to hear right now, but trust me, you'll be cursing his name soon enough."

Parvati, now slumped at the end of her bed against a bedpost, said thickly, "But I love him, I would never do that! _I love him_ and I bloody stuffed it up-" Here Parvati's face crumpled as she began to sob in earnest once again.

Lavender looked lost as to what to do with her immensely distraught friend. She turned to Hermione, who looked worried, and said, "God, he must have been The One or something… I've never cried this much whenever I've broken up with someone."

Hermione refrained from raising an eyebrow at Lavender and muttered, "I'm going to check on Harry. Get Parvati a glass of water, she could become dehydrated."

Parvati wiped her face on her sleeve, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm herself down. Her sobs eventually became quieter. She looked up to see Lavender looking at her apprehensively.

"I'm - I'm s-sorry about your shirt, Lav," she stumbled over saying, her voice thick with suppressed emotion. Her head was absolutely pounding, but Parvati reasoned that she deserved the pain. She _knew_ Harry was a private person! And now…now he…Gosh, her head hurt, it was like something was being rammed repeatedly into her skull-

_- a bright light, a great snake wad slinking along an icy and desolate corridor, its prey defenceless; the snake rose high and attacked, its victim crying out as the snake sunk its teeth into the man's delicate, warm flesh, its poison doing its job, the snake delighting as it heard its feast's pulse become steadily slower -_

Parvati screamed. Suddenly all she could see in front of her was her dorm, and it was spinning. Lavender cried out in alarm, "Parvati!"

"V-Vision…" said Parvati shakily. The room was coming into focus in strange lurches.

She could just make out Lavender's alarmed expression. "Parvati, you look like you're going to be-"

Parvati retched and vomited onto the floor.

..::ooOOOoo::..

"Be quiet, Ron, people are sleeping!"

"It's not my fault I have big feet, okay?"

"Shh! Maybe he's in here…Harry?"

Hermione quietly open the door to the bathroom and saw her friend sitting, slumped, in the shower. He was wet and looked freezing; he had obviously had the water on previously. Without exchanging words, Hermione and Ron closed the door and joined Harry sitting on the wet floor.

Harry dazedly noticed them, pintedly ignoring the pain in his scar and the fact that he had almost blacked out. "Hi."

"Hi," replied Ron and Hermione in unison.

Ron said bluntly, "We heard about Parvati and you, mate."

Harry winced.

"Harry," began Hermione tentatively (Harry looked pained at the prospect of having to tell them what had happened) "We're going to talk about this some other time, all right? About everything; Ron and I have decided we're not letting you off the hook."

"We're your best mates, Harry." added Ron. "You need to tell us stuff."

Feeling ashamed, Harry nodded quickly. He consciously put an effort in to pay attention.

"So…" started Hermione, wiggling her toes around in a shallow pool of water, "Ancient Runes has been really interesting, Professor Babbling reckons she can lend me Dumbledore's own copy of The Tale of the Three Brothers!"

Harry and Ron looked faintly amused by Hermione's enthusiasm about a book. Harry squeezed Hermione's hand to let her know his thanks.

"At least you're bloody learning something," said Ron. "Stupid Umbridge."

Hermione smiled softly, a curious look in her eyes. "Well, you know, I've been thinking…I think we need to be taught be someone else."

"Yeah," agreed Ron, "someone who really knows their stuff."

"Harry, you'd be perfect," hinted the bushy haired witch.

"Me? What, teach a class? You're out of your mind."

Hermione set Harry with a look. "Hark whose talking, _Scarhead_."

The green-eyed teenager pulled a face, but secretly felt very lucky to have such great friends.

"I'll think about it," he said tiredly. Hermione and Ron exchanged a look. They hadn't missed the bags under Harry's eyes, the nightmares, and they knew of what Umbridge was inflicting upon him.

"Harry, mate," said Ron, "you look like shit."

"I feel _like_ shit." Harry chanced a glance at them. "My scar's throbbing," he muttered. "I just had a vision of Voldemort, he's not happy with Wormtail; apparently he's failed to find some room."

Hermione placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry's eyelids drooped.

"Harry?" inquired Hermione worriedly. Seemingly, semi-conscious, Harry gripped onto Hermione forearm tightly.

_A snake slithered across the ground, its eyes upon its prey. It rose and attacked, the red headed man crying out in pain-_

"HARRY!"

Harry jerked back into consciousness.

"Ron!" he said wildly. "Your dad, he-"

The bathroom door suddenly banged open and an out of breath Lavender stood in the door.

"Ron!" she panted. "Parvati had a vision! She Saw your dad and- "

Both Lavender and Harry announced in unison, "Your dad's been attacked by a giant snake."

Ron stared. "What do you mean? Is he okay?"

Harry groaned; he felt like he was going to throw up. "I don't know, I don't know," he replied desperately, wishing he could go back inside Voldemort's mind to see if Mr Weasley was okay…

Lavender looked frightened.

"What is it?" said Ron, looking afraid to hear the answer.

"It's…well…Parvati keeps having the vision over and over." Lavender swallowed thickly, avoiding Ron's gaze. "Every time… she sees your dad dead."

* * *

**End Notes:  
**Hooray, I'm back from the land of illness! I decided to show the differing ways that Harry and Parvati deal with pain; Harry becomes numb, whilst Parvati feels too much. I hope you enjoyed and I do hope that you review :) I cherish every one!


	19. Be The Death Of Me

**A/N: **The movie Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, to me, was _very_ satisfying! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourite-d or alerted Butterfly last chapter.

**Warning:** This chapter is more graphic than usual. In the smexy sense.** Songs:**_ Be My Escape _by_ Relient K _and_ Toxic _by_ A Static Lullaby_

* * *

Harry dazedly watched as the mismatched colours of dimly lit walls rushed passed him, dull grey bricks illuminated, then blackened by the absence of light, going by in a blur as he was supported along the corridor. Harry felt the cool air around him juxtapose with his dry, slight agape mouth, and felt the hot, sticky blood wander from his lightning-bolt shaped scar like a curious stream towards his mouth. His blood tasted like salt.

The raven-haired teenager wondered if he should tell Ron that his scar was bleeding, but his cerise-haired boy looked too busy. Ron was anxiously half dragging, half carrying his best friend towards Dumbledore's office. Harry decided not to inform Ron: the eerie erratic flashes of Voldemort's maniacal laughter were disorientating enough that he thought if he were to open his mouth he might not be able to speak, or may vomit.

Harry's body suddenly flew across the room; Ron had pushed Harry up against the corridor wall. Dazed by the abrupt actions, Harry looked at the red head.

"Sorry, mate," mouthed Ron, his eyes flickering from the wall opposite back to Harry. Harry saw Mrs Norris slinking past them, and understood. It would not bode well if Filch - or worse, Umbridge - found a group of teenagers stalking the halls at night.

Ron motioned behind Harry, where Lavender and Hermione held Parvati's shaking hands reassuringly, and the group moved forward. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the Headmaster's office. Hermione whispered the password, the gargoyle sprung aside, and the five students headed up the winding staircase that led to Professor Dumbledore.

Dumbledore seemed to not be alone; a few hushed voices could be heard from beyond the office door. Ron and Hermione knocked on the door in unison.

"Professor Dumbledore," cried Lavender, agitated by her best friend's state, "It is Lavender Brown, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Parvati Patil! Please, sir, it's an emergency!"

The voices stopped, and the door opened. In the threshold stood Professor Snape, his eyes as dark as the night sky. He raised an eyebrow at the group.

"What," he started silkily, "is so important that it could not wait until-"

The bat-like teacher stopped as he took in a clearly overcome Harry Potter and a severely shaking Parvati Patil.

"Come in," he said shortly, and the group did so. Harry let himself be led into a chair, but Parvati refused, opting to stay standing next to Lavender. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, and Professor McGonagall was standing above him. McGonagall took one look at Harry's face, pointed her wand and cast the spell _episkey_ to clear the blood. The laughter that rang through Harry's mind had faded away.

"What has happened?" asked Dumbledore urgently, his cerulean eyes without a trace of a twinkle.

Ron spoke. "Parvati and Harry both had a vision of my dad, he was at…it was the ministry, Harry?" The green-eyed teenager nodded his head, looking at the ground, unseeing.

"Yeah…" continued Ron, obviously disturbed by what his friends had seen. "They both saw that my dad was at the ministry, and that he got bitten by a giant snake."

"It was Nagini, Voldemort's snake." amended Harry quietly.

Snape looked as though he was about to say something, but Hermione interrupted him. "But Parvati's vision of Mr Weasley was d-different…she kept having the same vision over and over for a few minutes…she kept seeing Ron's dad dead."

Dumbledore surveyed the group of teenagers gravely. He asked for both Harry and Parvati to tell their versions of what they saw. He quickly summoned a nearby portrait of a wizened wizard to go alert the required people, and reassured Ron that his father would be taken care of immediately.

Dumbledore then asked Professor McGonagall to accompany Lavender back to her dorms, and to also bring back the other Weasley siblings. The pretty witch at first protested, but Dumbledore explained that as she was not directly involved she had to go. Lavender, sensing that this was true, gave her best friend a hug and a kiss on her cheek before leaving with her head of house.

The door had closed behind the two. Snape inquired of the Headmaster, "Albus, how can both Potter and Patil have the same vision? I did not know that Potter was indeed a Seer too."

"Severus," answered the old man, "I believe that Harry's connection with Voldemort allows him to see things from enemy lines. Although, it is astounding that they both had an almost identical vision. Miss Patil?"

Parvati looked up. Her hands had stopped shaking so badly.

"Yes, sir?" she asked in a troubled voice.

"Can you see anything else concerning Arthur Weasley?"

Parvati shook her head, her eyes seeing beyond the office, trying to see Mr Weasley.

"No," she replied. "I tried to purposely look, but I don't think I can just command my visions like that…it's all blurry, it's shifting - I can't tell whether my earlier vision of Mr Weasley was right or not."

Ron paled considerably at this. Parvati was anxious; she could only make out passing shapes, a blurry view of what her earlier vision was. Maybe this meant that Mr Weasley was going to be okay? Her repeating vision tonight had been Seen in the present, but since then the future had set things in motion - help had been sent to Ron's father - maybe this would change the outcome of what Parvati had Seen!

"Perhaps try to concentrate a little harder, Miss Patil." suggested Snape. Obediently, Parvati closed her eyes. She tried to focus of how exactly the vision of Mr Weasley had look, how the snake had risen high and -

It was though a pebble had been dropped into water, causing a ripple effect. Something rippled across the water of her mind, something gentle, yet inexplicably dangerous. It was the only way Parvati could describe the feeling. _What was happening?_ She looked up, and saw Snape staring at her intently. Infuriated, she hissed, "_Get out of my head_."

Snape blinked, taken aback. The rippling through her mind stopped; the cool lake of her thoughts became undisturbed once again.

Parvati let out a strangled sort of noise.

"You- You were in my _head_. How did you do that?" she asked, so angry she was close to tears. She felt _violated_.

Dumbledore frowned at his potions teacher. "Severus, that was uncalled for-"

The Headmaster was interrupted by McGonagall returning with Ginny, Fred, George, and to Parvati's gratefulness, her twin sister Padma. Padma rushed over to Parvati and held onto her tightly. Ginny looked half asleep as her twin brothers demanded, "What's happened to Dad?"

Dumbledore explained all that had happened, and with a quick wave of his wand, and a muttering of "Portus!" he turned a small silver abacus on his desk into a Portkey. He instructed all of the children to grab on. They would be taken to Grimmauld Place where they would wait for news of their father.

Before she touched the metallic counting device, Parvati spared a look at Harry. He looked as shaken up as she felt. She hoped Ron's dad would make it through…and she hoped she and Harry would too. The portkey glowed, and as Parvati placed a finger on it, her world went spinning for the umpteenth time that night.

..::ooOOOoo::..

The walls within St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries were pristine white, unnerving Harry Potter slightly. Although he supposed not getting a wink of sleep the night before might have something to do with the wary state he was currently in.

The Weasley family were currently inside the Dai Llewellyn Ward for Serious Bites, where Mr Weasley was recovering. Harry and Parvati had been subjected to praise from Arthur who insisted that without them he would have surely died. Both teenagers had then excused themselves so Mr Weasley could spend time with his sons, daughter and wife.

Harry and his girlfriend - god, well, he thought that maybe she would still be his girlfriend - sat awkwardly in the waiting area outside the ward, Aurors Tonks and Kingsley keeping watch over them. Harry, deciding that sitting beside and not talking to Parvati was going to be terribly awkward for the both of them, had managed to get hold of that day's copy of The Daily Prophet and was perusing it slowly.

For a moment, he had forgotten that the Wizarding World believed he to be a liar, Dumbledore an aging fool and that the general consensus was that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had not returned. He put down the paper, feeling miserable.

"Journalists aren't very nice, are they?" asked Parvati quietly, pointing towards a headline that read: POTTER'S LOST THE PLOT.

Harry chanced a glance at the witch. Her long, dark hair had been pulled back into a loose ponytail. Even with bags under her eyes, she looked beautiful to Harry.

"No," he replied rather hoarsely. "They're not. Parvati…I was really unfair to you. I _do_ trust you." Harry took Parvati's hand in his, and her chocolate eyes sparkled with tears. "I promise I'll be more open to you from now on. No more secrets."

Parvati smiled. "Thanks. I love you." She kissed him lightly on the lips.

"You too, Par." Harry shifted closer to her, and noticed Tonks grinning at them from across the hall. "Maybe we should finish this later…Tonks looks like she's having way too much fun watching us."

Parvati grinned. "Yeah, later; I guess we have a lot to talk about." Parvati moved closer, safe in Harry's warm embrace.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati laughed as Harry awkwardly sat down next her, his back resting on the side of the bathtub. The house was loud with occupants downstairs; Fred and Georg e were playing a fierce game of Exploding Snap, and Mrs Weasley was cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

"Why is it," inquired Harry, "that the bathroom is the only private place we can talk?"

Parvati scrunched up her nose teasingly at her boyfriend. "Duh, with the whole Weasley family, my family, a bunch of Aurors and an escaped Azkaban resident, there's no room in this house!" Her eyes were alit with mischief.

"So, uh," coughed Harry, "Do you want to talk first, or…?"

Harry had stopped speaking, for his mouth had run dry. Parvati was looking up at him dangerously, removing her jacket slowly. Something clicked inside of Harry. _To hell with talking_.

Harry captured Parvati's mouth, and she responded by pressing her body closer to his. Parvati continued to kiss her boyfriend passionately, her hands in his unruly black hair and her body moving rhythmically against Harry's. Harry was kissing Parvati like he had never kissed her before, and his hands were magic. The brown haired girl let out a small sound of longing as Harry reached up under her shirt, his hands gently but fervently exploring the soft feel of her breasts. They were going further than they had ever before and the danger was enticing. Parvati could feel every part of her body responding, and the feel of her nipples erect under Harry's touch as he felt around her bra was ecstasy.

Lavender had talked of fireworks, instant electricity; but all Parvati could feel was the slow burning desire for more from Harry, like the dying flame of a candle over time, wax dripping down the candle so leisurely that it hurt to look at. From the way he was touching her, Parvati bet that Harry felt it too. Parvati motioned for Harry to take off his shirt, and he complied; Parvati's hands eagerly roamed Harry's chest…and decided that Quidditch was a heavenly sport for boy's muscles and said boy's girlfriends. Harry breathed her name as she continued to kiss him.

In a sudden movement, Parvati's hands reached for Harry's belt. Harry slowly moved towards the inside of the bathtub, so he could lean against the tiled wall, a much more comfortable place to hold Parvati than against the edge of the bath. Harry groaned as Parvati started to remove his belt, her fingers feeling like fire as they brushed against his skin as she undid the buckle, and Harry's jeans fell to the floor of the bathtub. Parvati looked up at Harry, with a curious expression on her face. A small, devious, _sexy_ smile found itself across her features as her finger traced around his undergarments, slowly starting to remove them. Harry knew he would die happy if he could die seeing Parvati smile like that again. He groaned pleasurably, and reached out for something to grab on.

Furious cold water suddenly rained down on the two teenagers; Parvati shrieked and Harry cast a startled glance at what he had been holding.

It seemed, in his haste, he had grabbed the shower tap.

Both Parvati and Harry saw this as both a blessing and a curse: Harry, for instance, was shirtless, and now wet, and Parvati was wearing a white t-shirt. Harry swallowed hard as he stared at Parvati's t-shirt, which was now see-through. Her lacy green bra was undeniably and excitingly visible.

Harry moved and embraced Parvati so that her back was against the wall, her soaked body radiating heat against his own. He held her beautiful face his hands and kissed her lips, placing his tongue in her mouth hungrily.

"I think," said Harry between kisses, "that green is now my favourite colour." His hands wandered down to Parvati's torso, and this was almost too much for the girl to bear. Harry was even sexier when wet.

"Harry," began Parvati in a heavy, breathy voice -

"DINNER!" came Mrs Weasley's shout from downstairs. Harry jumped, startled. Parvati swallowed loudly, and climbed out of the bathtub, her nails raking against Harry's bare chest as he leant over and turned the tap off. Harry was sad to break contact with his girlfriend, but seeing water droplets drip down her cinnamon skin wasn't too bad a substitute.

Harry grinned like he'd just won the House Cup. "How are we gunna explain this?" he asked, doing up his jeans and belt.

Parvati bit her lip, unable to look away from Harry's come-hither green eyes. "Well, it's lucky that we're in a house with adult wizards right? A drying charm won't be detected."

Harry's eyes swept over his girlfriend's wet figure. "Yeah," he said. "Lucky."

* * *

**A/N:** You totally want to make my day and get me to 500 reviews :)


	20. Undisclosed Desires

**A/N:** As of 6/12/09, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 have been revised. Thank you so much Chapter named for the Muse song.

**Warning**: In this chapter there is a scene implying consensual oral sex between two teenagers and there is slightly graphic foreplay. **Please be cautious if you find this notion confronting or offensive as I do not wish to insult or offend any readers. Thank you.**

* * *

The fire crackled loudly, juxtaposed against the silence that hovered in the common room. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Parvati were the only ones left - whilst the majority of Gryffindors were sound asleep, many where currently attending a party in the Ravenclaw house. It was the perfect opportunity for the quartet to discuss matters without being overheard.

"So…" began Hermione. "I suppose we should start this meeting."

The bright witch received nods at her suggestion. Hermione smiled and drew in a nervous breath. She was in her element: Harry knew how much Hermione loved organising things. Harry just hoped she wouldn't go mental like she had at lunch when Harry and Ron had admitted they hadn't started studying for exams yet. They were only a day away, and Hermione had been stressing out like mad. She'd been studying for her O.W.L's for the past two months.

"I call the first meeting of…whatever this is going to be called…to order."

Ron grinned. "Catchy title."

Hermione shot him a contemptuous look. Harry smiled at his two best friends from where he lay down on the lounge. His girlfriend Parvati was resting on top of him, comfortably lazing in the fire's warmth. It had been almost five weeks since they had left Grimmauld Place. Mr Weasley had recovered nicely and Harry and Parvati had been slowly working through their problems; Harry was starting to open up more, not only Parvati, but to Ron and Hermione too. Even so, nightmares still haunted the Boy Who Lived: his dreams were ghosted by images of that room, that same room…

Harry refocused on the conversation at hand.

"So, we've all agreed that we need to actually learn how to defend ourselves against Dark magic, and that Umbridge is not the person who can teach us properly," said Hermione. "Plus, Harry has finally agreed to be the one to teach us what we need to know."

Harry rolled his eyes as Hermione smirked, satisfied with her victory. She had nagged him for weeks.

"Now all we need to do is figure out how to recruit people, and where to have meetings."

Harry frowned, unsure. "Hermione, it's not like people will be lining up…"

"You're more popular than you think, Harry," protested Parvati before turning to Hermione. "How about we just get the word around? I'm sure Padma will tell all the Ravenclaws."

"Sounds good," she agreed, "but where can we actually meet?"

The group discussed possible meeting places - empty classrooms, Hogsmeade - but these places weren't secretive enough for a band of students to illegally meet regularly, particularly considering Professor Umbridge's most recent restrictions.

Hermione set finding a place to set up for their defence meetings as homework for herself and her three friends, and they finished plotting for the night.

Hermione bade them all goodnight as she put the fire out with a quick wave of her wand. She made her way up to her dorm room. Ron slowly made his way up the boy's staircase.

Harry kissed Parvati goodnight as he leaned against the back of the lounge: out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Ron pull a face. Harry smiled inwardly and kissed Parvati more passionately. Ron quickly retreated to his dorm.

Parvati ended the kiss and leant her head tenderly against Harry's chest, her hands snaking around his warm, defined waist.

"Ugh," Parvati groaned, "We have that stupid career thing with McGonagall tomorrow."

Harry rolled his eyes. "It won't be that bad, Par."

"Yeah, but I don't _really_ know what I want to do when I leave school!"

Harry lightly kissed his girlfriend on her forehead reassuringly, and she lifted her head so her eyes met with his. She traced the dark shadows under his eyes delicately.

"If you can't sleep tonight, come and wake me up and we'll share my bed together?" Parvati suggested. _He's obviously still dreaming about that weird room_, she decided. He looked like he hadn't slept properly for weeks.

"Sounds tempting…you know how I love your bunny pyjamas." Harry joked weakly. "But then you won't get any sleep either."

"But I'll be with you."

"Mmmm," Harry considered the enticing option. He swore that sometimes Parvati was better than a Calming Draught. "Thanks. I might take you up on that offer."

Harry embraced Parvati once more, his lips lingering on hers.

"'Night."

"'Night, Harry."

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry awoke the next morning to a rain soaked sky.

He watched as the rain hit against the far dormitory window, each clear droplet winding down the length of the window and conforming into the puddle on the window ledge. Each transparent globule was predictable in its movements, but the monotony was mesmerising to watch. The quick and graceful fall of each raindrop and the way it trickled down until it pooled on the ledge. The predictability made Harry wistful: if he truly thought about it, his only constants were Ron, Hermione and Parvati.

Harry closed his eyes. He needed to really thank them for all they had done for him lately. Ron had stayed up with Harry a couple of nights playing Wizards Chess so he could keep his nightmares at bay; Hermione had even done his whole Transfiguration essay because he'd fallen asleep in class when they'd been taking notes on the subject; Parvati had always patiently listened to his theories about the mysterious room that ghosted his dreams and distracted him in the most wonderful ways when need be. His friends had been right. Sharing what was happening…was actually helpful. It made him process events better, and it was good to hear other people's opinions on matters. It felt good to listen and talk to people he could trust.

Harry opened his eyes as the pressure of rain became denser and stared at out the window languidly. The white-grey expanse of sky did nothing to pry Harry from under his covers. He wished he could stay in bed today, falling asleep to the sound of rainwater lightly smacking against glass.

Harry gave the dreary sky an annoyed glance, as if it were the sky's fault he had to get out of bed and go to school. The only good thing about Harry's lessons would be that his career meeting with his head of house fell into the same time slot as Defence against the Dark Arts.

_No Umbridge today!_

It took a couple of minutes, but soon enough Harry made his way into the Great Hall. The sleep-deprived teen slid into the breakfast table to the left of his girlfriend. Harry's fellow dorm mates were sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table. Dean and Neville were chatting amiably while Seamus seemed to be brooding over his bacon. Parvati and Lavender were having hushed conversation next to Harry: it seemed Lavender was refusing to tell Parvati something. Parvati was playfully prodding her friend with the end of her fork, trying to force the answer out. Harry swiftly gave Parvati a kiss on the cheek as a way of saying hello. She shot him a quick smile over her shoulder as she continued to badger Lavender.

Harry felt satisfied with his morning - seeing Parvati always brightened his day - until he looked across the breakfast table to see Hermione looking something akin to proud, flicking her wand absentmindedly. She paused in effortlessly changing the colour of her fork from metallic silver to periwinkle blue - a prerequisite for the Charms exams Harry had yet to fully accomplish. Harry lowered his gaze to his empty plate as he felt his face heat up in slight embarrassment.

"Excited for no Defence today, Harry?" asked Hermione conversationally as Harry scooped his scrambled eggs onto his spoon. Harry inwardly felt relief: it seemed he wouldn't be getting a lecture about exams this morning after all.

Harry swallowed his first mouthful before answering. "Yeah, it should be good."

"Have you picked a career yet, Harry?" prodded Hermione, idly changing her knife to a tangerine hue.

"Not really," replied Harry honestly, distracted for a moment as a wave of Hermione's wand turned the knife bright yellow. "Sirius said I'd be a good Auror, but I dunno…I reckon I'll just wait and see what McGonagall thinks I should do. What about you?"

"Mmm, kind of…I can't really decide. All of those pamphlets we were given made even Filch's job sound interesting! I'm debating between, well, becoming a professor _or_ becoming a fiction writer."

"I can see you as a writer," replied Harry encouragingly. "You certainly read enough."

"Ha, ha."

"What _abouuuut_…" Harry elongated the word as he thought, "…what about…being an Auror?"

Ron, who was sitting next to Hermione, let his spoon fall out of his mouth and into his bowl of porridge. He was consequently flecked with his breakfast but didn't appear to notice.

"_Hermione_?" repeated Ron loudly as a globule of his breakfast slid down his long nose. "_Hermione_ be an _Auror_? You must be mental, Harry!"

Harry frowned, quickly casting a look at Hermione who appeared to be very hurt by Ron's words. "No way, Ron." he argued. "Hermione's smart and a heck of a lot better than most of us with wand work."

Ron still looked at Harry as though he had lost his marbles. "But -"

Hermione spoke indignantly through her teeth. "But _what_, Ronald?" she asked shrilly.

Ron's brown eyes widened: Hermione could be well fierce when she wanted to be.

"Uh, I mean…I was just…" Ron fumbled anxiously.

Hermione stood up.

"You know what, Ronald Weasley? I don't care what you think career I should have. God knows anything career I choose will be far better than any job a prat like _you_ could do."

And with that, Hermione lifted up Ron's bowl of porridge, tipped it onto his head and stalked out of the Great Hall with her head held high.

Ron comically spat out a mouthful of porridge.

Harry gave his friend a look. "You deserved that," he said bluntly. He decided Ron didn't deserve him using the incantation _evanesco_ to clean the porridge off his head, either. He still thought Hermione would make a rather good Auror.

Ron's response was that of silence, so Harry dug into his breakfast once more, vowing never to cross Hermione - especially around examination time.

Harry felt a small pair of arms wrap around his waist as Parvati leant against him.

"Hey, Harry," greeted Parvati softly. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Not too badly…better than the night before."

Parvati nuzzled her head against Harry's chest. Her voice was muffled as she spoke.

"I was thinking that maybe tonight we could, you know, do something nice."

"That'd be great," replied Harry with a small smile. "What are you thinking?"

Parvati lifted her head, her brown hair all mussed up just the way Harry liked it, and the look in her eyes was devious. "It's a surprise!" she said wickedly.

"What's brought this on?"

"Oh, you know, just talking to Lavender. Apparently we are the most boring item in Hogwarts because we don't go on dates much or some rubbish."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at Parvati's comment as her responded, "She should trying having confusing visions and fighting Death Eaters and see how she manages to find time to go out."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Knowing Lavender, she'd manage it."

Soon enough, time came for their first class. Harry bade his girlfriend goodbye as he headed off to Transfiguration and she went to Divination.

"I hope your career advice thingy goes well." Parvati wished Harry, referring to his appointment that filled the time slot for their second class of the day. They shared a kiss before parting ways.

"I'll meet you in the common room at six-thirty tonight, Harry!" she called.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati giggled as she led Harry down the corridor, a hand pressed to his back so as the steady him. They had met in the common room shortly after dinner, just as planned. Parvati must have said something to Hermione because she didn't kick up a fuss about exams, which were the following day.

"There wasn't much point in blindfolding me," Harry reasoned as he blindly walked forward, "I can barely see without my glasses."

Parvati smiled broadly as she turned another corner. "Shush, you, we might get caught by Filch _again_."

Harry let out an amused laugh. "Where are you taking me?" he asked.

"I'm not going to tell you," said Parvati in a singsong voice that echoed off the decadent walls.

Harry groaned. "You can be such a tease…"

A voice stirred from the left wall. A rather uptight looking man was leaning against the edge of his portrait as he reprimanded, "I say, young man, that's no way to speak to a lady!"

"What the-?" Harry began as Parvati burst out laughing. She proceeded to steer Harry faster down the corridor as they ran past the very affronted oil painting. After a while they slowed down: Harry began to get used to walking without sight.

"So," began Harry conversationally, "how your career's advice go?"

"Pretty good," Parvati answered, "McGonagall gave me all this advice about different careers and stuff that she thought I'd be good at. She said my Sight would be a big hiring advantage. Um…I told her about the whole fashion designing stuff, and she gave my bucket loads of pamphlets and information about textiles in the Wizarding World, which was cool. How about you?"

"It wasn't bad. I'm still pretty undecided: McGonagall said I'd be a good Auror, but she mentioned other things like teaching."

"What, like be a professor at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, that'd be awesome."

It took a few more minutes for the pair to reach their destination. Parvati undid the blindfold and gave Harry his glasses to put back on. His eyes adjusted to the lenses, and everything came in focus. In front of Harry was a plain wall.

"Uhhh...Parvati?" inquired Harry awkwardly, "What are we doing in front of a wall?"

The brown haired witch was busy pacing back and forth in front of the wall.

"This is no ordinary wall, Harry. It's apparently called the Come and Go room, or the Room of Requirement."

In a split second, the wall had transformed. Harry was awestruck as Parvati excitedly led him into the room. Parvati was animatedly babbling about their surroundings, looking very pleased with what she had accomplished.

"Well, I thought about the Astronomy Tower, you know, but I thought the chances of finding it unoccupied would be pretty low. So I asked Lavender where we could have a few hours alone to ourselves…and she suggested this place."

Harry looked at his surroundings. In the middle of the room, there was a large queen-sized bed, encircled with small candles. The ceiling had been enchanted like the one in the Great Hall – it showed a perfect starry night.

"This is amazing, Par," said the raven-haired wizard in awe. "How…?" He left the question hanging.

Parvati explained to Harry how the Room worked as she pulled off her coat. Harry's mouth went dry as he saw what his girlfriend was wearing underneath.

She was wearing her usual pair of blue jeans, but Harry wasn't noticing that. All he could focus on was the low-cut black t-shirt with tiny straps. It fit her body perfectly. Harry almost choked when he saw the necklace he had given her as a birthday present dangling close to her generous cleavage. The amethyst jewels on the locket glittered in the starlight. Parvati's brown eyes were warm. Once again Harry noticed how visible Parvati's cleavage was.

"Wow," was all Harry could manage to say.

Parvati ducked her head in embarrassment. Parvati left he coat on the ground and wrapped her arms around Harry's waist. He pulled them both onto the bed. For a long while they stared at the enchanted dark sky above them, at peace in each other's presence.

Harry traced out a pattern of twinkling celestial bodies with his finger. "Look," he said quietly, pointing at a formation of stars, "it's the Orion constellation."

Parvati let out a half groan, half laugh beside him. "_Please_, I don't want to think about Astronomy until the actual exam."

Parvati smiled up at the sky as she continued. "I have no idea why Hermione's freaking out - she's going to beat us all, she's way too smart. …Uhhh. Defence exam tomorrow, first thing."

"Yeah."

Parvati frowned: Harry wasn't talking much. She propped herself up on her elbow to get a better look at her boyfriend. "Harry, are you okay?"

"I'm sorry," Harry apologised sincerely, "I just…I can't stop thinking about the room. I mean, I'm scared. Its obvious Voldemort wants me for something but no one's telling me anything…not even Sirius. I just feel very lost sometimes."

Harry faltered, his voice cracking. "I'm so sorry, I - I should just shut up, I'm totally ruining this night. I'm sorry."

Parvati stared at him for a moment before giving him a comforting kiss. "It's okay, Harry, it's okay," she soothed. She moved her fingers though his messy hair in a mothering gesture, and Harry leant into her. "I'm scared too," she replied honestly. "I don't know how to control my visions and it kills me that I can't help you out."

Parvati traced the tired circles under Harry's eyes that seemed to be eternally etched into his skin. He looked so _weary_.

Harry cleared his throat, trying not to let Parvati see that he was choked up.

Parvati closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she seemed a lot happier. "This is why I wanted to do this tonight. To be with you, alone. So for at least one night we can forget everything apart from ourselves."

Harry let himself be overcome by Parvati's presence. He slowly calmed himself until all he could see and think of was Parvati. He watched as she moved so her body was above his.

Parvati moulded her body slowly down against Harry's, her lips to his. Harry hungrily kissed Parvati back, until he let his mouth be parted by her tongue. They began kissing deeper, his tongue exploring hers into her glorious mouth. Harry's hands travelled downward as he reached up under Parvati's shirt, her skin smooth and hot against his touch.

Parvati began suckling Harry's neck, her soft, warm lips pressing hard and lovely against his ivory skin. Harry's mouth explored new places: the back of her mocha-hued neck, her collarbone, her earlobe. A few times their eyes would meet; the corners of her lips would quirk, her eyes heavily lidded with lust. Their words of love were whispered in the night air.

Parvati's hands were in Harry's sable hair. The mothering gesture had turned into something fierce and ravenous. They bodies were leisurely moving in reply to one another's. Slowly, Parvati smoothed her hands down Harry's front. Harry's back arched and she motioned him to take off his shirt. Harry felt the soft texture of the sheets underneath his back.

The room was silent apart from their heavy breathing. Harry stared up at the starry ceiling, deciding as Parvati lay a kiss on his neck that she was far more beautiful than any constellation. She left a trail of kisses along his torso as she moved towards his jeans.

Harry felt hyper-aware of his body's reactions towards Parvati. He looked down as she slowly undid the zipper. Harry could feel himself starting to rise. Parvati removed his jeans, and then his underwear. Harry looked at Parvati. He loved the way her shirt fitted her torso, the way her perfect breasts were cupped with a purple bra beneath her shirt, the way her skin glowed in the candlelight.

Harry could feel himself erect and in Parvati's hands.

He didn't want to put Parvati in a position where she didn't feel comfortable, but _oh sweet Merlin_ Harry felt comfortable in her hands. He wished he could return the feeling to her. He wished he could make her moan as he sucked her nipples; hear her pleasure as he felt her wetness.

Parvati slowly touched the length of Harry's erection, and she moved closer. He gave out a little moan of pleasure. Harry breathed in and out quickly, his body aflame with rash and irrevocable desire. Harry asked, "Are you sure…?"

Parvati's chocolate eyes met Harry's. "I want to," she said in a soft voice, her lips wet.

Harry willingly gave himself to her.

..::ooOOOoo::..

He woke up to a decadent sight in the morning. The sun was bright and hot above their bed. He didn't want to move.

Parvati was soundly asleep beside him, her small hands resting on his bare chest. Her hair was an adorable mess, framing her face. She was dressed in Harry's shirt and tangled in the soft sheets.

Harry gave her a tender kiss on her forehead, and smoothed her hair lovingly. Parvati squirmed and unconsciously turned so that she wasn't facing Harry. Her breathing was still deep.

Harry draped an arm over Parvati as he whispered in her ear, "Par, it's time to get up."

Parvati pulled the sheets closer to her body. "No, m'sleep," she mumbled.

Harry placed a kiss on her check, noticing with a weird sort of pride that there was a love bite on her neck. "Come on, exams, remember?"

Parvati sighed heavily, and threw back her covers. She turned to face Harry.

"Good morning," she said quietly, a coy smile on her face. She batted her eyelashes at Harry.

Harry gulped. "Good morning," he replied as Parvati flung her arms around his neck and gave him a huge hug.

"Thank you," he said genuinely in her ear, "for last night."

"It wasn't, wasn't it?" said Parvati almost dreamily. "I had fun."

Parvati let out a giggle as she adjusted Harry's glasses. He hadn't realised they had already become lopsided. "Oh, wow, did I do that?"

Harry frowned. "Do what?"

Parvati laughed as she climbed out of bed and changed into her school robes that had magically appeared earlier that morning. "You'll see," she impishly said.

It took them a little longer than usual - Harry had decided to show his gratitude to Parvati by overwhelming her with kisses - to get up to breakfast.

Harry resisted the urge to pull Parvati into his lap as they sat down side by side for breakfast. Hermione was frantically scouring her Defence against the Dark Arts notes, and Ron was devouring his bacon and eggs. Seamus, who was sitting next to Lavender, arched an eyebrow at Harry.

"Looks like you had fun last night, Harry," he commented. Lavender arched over to see what Seamus was looking at and laughed.

"Nice, Parvati," she praised.

"What did you do to me?" Harry wondered.

Neville looked amused, even though he blushed, as Dean told, "Harry, mate, it looks like Parvati sucked half your neck off. You have about a zillion hickeys."

Harry had the decency to look a little embarrassed, but he didn't really mind. He hadn't felt this carefree in a while. "I love you," Harry whispered to Parvati as he kissed on the cheek quickly.

Hermione stopped looking over at her notes and spoke to him for a moment.

"Okay, okay, fun's over. Don't you realise in less than _five minutes_ our first exam is scheduled?"

Dean checked his watch. "Actually, it's on now."

Hermione's eyes were wide. "What!" she cried hysterically. "You mean we're _late_? Oh, God, oh…"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Hermione, sop worrying! This exam is going to be easy."

..::ooOOOoo::..

The Defence against the Dark Arts exam was _not_ easy, Harry was finding out. The questions were _hard_.

He looked at the back of Parvati's head as he tapped his quill absentmindedly on the wooden desk. The noise reverberated around the room. He wished he could see through her head and onto her exam paper. He'd love to know the answer to question thirty-two…

_…A cold voice spoke over the screams of the man._

_"I see you will not be easily persuading in fetching it for me."_

_Sirius was crouched on the ground backed up against tall shelves full of glass spheres. It was the cathedral-sized room that had been haunting Harry's dreams. There was a long gash on Sirius's face and he looked severely shaken._

_Sirius's head was raised and his voice was coloured with the utmost defiance and loathing as he replied to Lord Voldemort, "I will never do your bidding. You'll have to kill me first."_

_An eerie laugh echoed along the high shelves. Lord Voldemort's eyes were red slits, cold and furious._

_"Very well," Voldemort replied, and raised his wand high into the air…_

Harry screamed and he wrenched open his eyes. He was staring at the ceiling. He could feel the cool marble floor of the examination area beneath. He could feel his scar burning horribly, and something cold was dripping down his face. He could see Ron and Hermione's worried faces above him. Parvati helped him unsteadily to his feet.

"Your scar!" Parvati exclaimed shakily. "Harry, your scar is bleeding! What happened?"

"Sirius," was all that Harry could manage to choke out.

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks to Fire From Above, WonderBee31, Tonks-Shadow, St Anger and Jarno who have been giving me lovely reviews! Please review :)

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Report Possible Abuse Add Story to Favorites Add Story to Story Alert Add Author to Favorites Add Author to Author Alert Add Story to Community 1. Flutter2. Animal Magnetism3. Realisation4. Pummelling Seamus5. Common Ground6. Lav and Pav7. The Second Task8. B, Uh, Witches9. Friendship10. The First Date11. Time Is Ticking Away12. The Final Task Part 113. The Final Task Part 214. Afterglow15. Taking Flight16. Memories17. Supermassive Black Hole18. Under This Conditon19. Transmission20. Sneak Peek At Next Chapter21. We Throw Our Words Around As If They Wer22. Be The Death Of Me23. Undisclosed Desires24. Loss

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	21. Loss

**Chapter 24: Loss**

**A/N:** Thanks to Tonks-Shadow for all the awesome advice and to the HP Lexicon. All spells are canon and the Atrium, Hall of Prophecies and the 'time room' are all described as they were in canon.  
**Warning:** This chapter contains character death. Caution is advised if this notion offends, upsets or insults anybody. Thank you.

* * *

Hermione's face was pale. Parvati looked unnerved. Ron's blue eyes were wide.

"Merlin," Ron swore. "I thought all we'd have to worry about today was exams."

Harry chose to ignore this comment. After his 'episode', Harry had simply shook off his teachers and sat down again at his table, although he was itching to run out of the room. From the corner of his eye he had seen Malfoy doing impressions of him fainting, to which a few Slytherins had tittered. Harry had impatiently finished his paper and waited for the examination to be over. As soon as it was announced that the student's time was up, Harry dropped his quill and raced out into the corridor. He waited for his friends and told them urgently what had happened: that he had seen Lord Voldemort torturing Sirius in the room he had been dreaming about - the Department of Mysteries.

Now all Harry needed was a way there. He _had_ to save Sirius.

"We need to get to Sirius, we need to save him," said Harry quickly as he watched Hannah Abbot exit the exam room.

Hermione sighed. "Harry, shouldn't we tell an Order member? Alert someone?"

"Hermione-" started Harry angrily.

"Harry, she's right," interrupted Parvati. She was leaning against the wall of the examination room with her arms folded over her chest. "The members of the Order are the ones who should save Sirius. You need to think about this logically."

Harry swallowed and closed his eyes.

"You're right," he allowed finally. "We need to hurry up and find Dumbledore then, or Professor McGonagall."

The decision was made, and the quartet rushed to the Headmaster's office. Harry could feel his heart pounding in his chest and hear the blood thumping in his head as he quickly gave the stone gargoyle the password.

His mind was in overdrive: he kept seeing Cedric's body in front of him.

_It won't happen again… _He told himself.

As he ascended the staircase, Harry became aware of voices above him. A familiar, unpleasant baritone caught Harry's attention.

"Dolores, I am afraid that I cannot let you in. In any case, the Headmaster, along with Professor McGonagall, is currently absent."

Harry reached the top of the stairwell, where Professor Snape and Umbridge appeared to be having a tense conversation. There were bright pink spots on Umbridge's cheeks. They matched the colour of her knitted sweater.

"What do you mean, Dumbledore's away?"

Snape turned to Harry. Umbridge pursed her lips as him - it looked as though she had swallowed a lemon.

"Oh, Mr Potter," acknowledged Umbridge sweetly. "We could only expect such insolence from you."

"Where is he?" Harry demanded intolerantly of Snape, ignoring his Defence teacher.

"It is none of your business where the Headmaster is, Potter," replied Snape smoothly.

Harry tried not to snap again. He was breathing heavy, trying to control his anger. "Snape, please, listen..."

"Potter, using manners?" queried Snape mockingly.

Harry couldn't contain his urgency any longer. "I don't have to time for this!" he burst out angrily. "I…" The green-eyed teenager glanced at Umbridge, then back again. "_He_ has…he has Padfoot…in the room…"

Snape stared at Harry for a long moment, his mouth slightly ajar. Harry took in the meaningful look Snape was giving him. He obviously knew what Harry was talking about. He would alert the Order straight away. Sirius would be safe.

Snape then spoke.

"Thank you, Potter, for wasting my time with your nonsensical rubbish."

Snape quickly bid Umbridge goodbye and moved past Harry. Harry was frozen in shock.

Hermione called after the potions master, but he was fast striding down the hallway.

Parvati grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him down the staircase, Ron and Hermione following in her wake. She sprinted down the corridor.

"Looks like it's up to _us_ to rescue your godfather, Harry," reasoned Parvati as she turned the corner. Harry tried to bury the memories that were overtaking his mind, the echo of Voldemort's voice.

_Kill the spare…_

_Very well, then…_

"How are we going to get to the Department of Mysteries, though?" panted Hermione. "And where exactly are we going?"

Parvati turned left as the came at an intersection of hallways. "The Room of Requirement," she answered. "It gives you whatever you want; I figure it can give us a way there."

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry was now running side by side with Parvati, with Ron and Hermione behind them. Parvati slowed, and Harry thought they were near the Room: but in front of them were Dean, Seamus, Neville and Lavender, all wearing grave expressions. In Seamus's hands was something long and fleshy.

"I'm sorry, guys, but we don't have time-"

"We know, Harry," informed Neville calmly. "We, uh…well…"

"We eavesdropped on your conversation outside the exam," explained Seamus easily, waving the Extendable Ear in the air. "These things work a treat."

"The point _is_, Harry, we want to help you," Lavender said, her voice strong and uncharacteristically serious. She seemed to be standing close to Seamus for moral support.

"No," said Harry firmly. "I can't let you go and just risk your lives-"

Lavender shook her head. "It's our decision to make, not yours. We aren't your responsibility. We're your friends. Honey, we want to help."

Harry fell like screaming, infuriated with how much time had passed since the vision. Voldemort had threatened to kill Sirius. What if they were already too late? "Okay!" he half yelled. "I…you can come…please…I just _need_ to get to Sirius."

Parvati then led the group of eight to the Room of Requirement. She paced back and forth in front of the wall.

The wall transformed, and the group went in. It was a bare room, apart from a large brick fireplace situated directly in the middle.

"I decided the Floo network would be the easiest way," elucidated Parvati swiftly.

Ron grabbed a handful of Floo powder and paused.

"Should I say 'Department of Mysteries'? I mean, you'd think it wouldn't be that easy to get into the Unspeakables' headquarters."

"Good point, Ron," praised Hermione. "Say 'Ministry of Magic' and we'll have to sneak to the department from there."

Ron stepped into the fire, then Hermione, followed by Lavender and Seamus.

"Harry!" whispered Parvati quickly as Neville departed from the Room of Requirement. She gave her boyfriend a tight hug. "Everything will be okay," she vowed. Harry could tell she was trying to be firm, but he could hear the uncertainty in her tone. "We'll save Sirius."

Harry looked deeply into Parvati's chocolate eyes, seeking reassurance. "You still can't See anything?"

"No."

Harry stepped up to the hearth and threw down his pinch of green powder. "The Ministry of Magic!"

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry tumbled out of the fireplace, finally coming to rest with his feet over his head. The Floo network, though effective, wasn't the most comfortable way to travel. Harry unsteadily got to his feet, dizzy from the transport. Ron, Lavender, Neville and Seamus were all leaning against the wall opposite to Harry, trying to look inconspicuous. Harry was at least grateful that they didn't have to be in uniform for their exams, and thus were not going to be easily recognised as Hogwarts students.

Harry looked back at the gilded fireplace behind him, and then to the few wizards and witches that were arriving and departing with the fireplaces. Large engraved letters on a plaque on the wall opposite told Harry his was in the Atrium in the Ministry of Magic.

The fireplace roared and one by one came Parvati, Hermione and Dean forth from the green flames. Hermione covered Harry with his father's Invisibility Cloak with the words, "Just so no one recognises the Boy Who Lived and wonders what he's doing sneaking around the Ministry."

Ron volunteered to the lead the way, and he seemed to know where he was going. He snuck the group past the security stand to a series of lifts. They chose the middle elevator and huddled in once the doors opened.

Harry pulled off his cloak and stuffed it in his jeans pocket. Harry ignored the anxious jolt he felt in his stomach as he pressed the button for Level Nine: The Department of Mysteries.

He would save Sirius.

He _had_ to.

..::ooOOOoo::..

"What is this place?" Harry heard Seamus wonder aloud.

"It's the Hall of Prophecies…" Hermione's voice floated softly down the corridor.

Harry stared up at the high, infinite shelves of swirling orbs. He could not feel intimidated by the impressive shelves and their objects. His instincts were screaming danger.

He had his wand at the ready.

The group were standing in the middle of a thin corridor that was lined with shelves filled with the strange orbs that Hermione thought to be prophecies. They were standing in a circle, wands out so that they were covering every angle. The strategy had been Ron's idea.

"This was the room where Sirius was in my vision," Harry relayed to Parvati, feeling frustrated. The sense of danger had only intensified. He just wanted to find Sirius and go home - go back to Hogwarts.

Parvati couldn't hide the fear in her voice. "I still can't See anything," she said despondently.

"You'll get your Sight back," encouraged Harry, feeling hopelessly optimistic. He'd kill for Parvati to have a vision of Sirius safe…and alive.

A voice broke though the tense atmosphere.

"Ahh, how precious. Young love."

Harry's blood turned to ice.

He turned, threatening his wand at the Death Eater.

"Malfoy," he spat. "Where is he?"

Lucius Malfoy feigned confusion, a mocking smile turning up the corners of his lips. "Where is _whom_, little half blood?"

"Sirius! Where is he?"

The wizard did not answer for a moment. Harry aimed a leg-locking curse at him, but it was quickly deflected.

Lucius's smile grew wider. A muffled scream cut through the air to Harry's right, and he whipped around to see Bellatrix Lestrange holding Parvati by the throat. Her pale hands covered Parvati's mouth. Parvati's eyes were wide with shock and fear as she gagged behind the murderer's hands.

"Now, Potter. You of all people should know that _visions_ can be _subjective_," answered Lucius Malfoy, gesturing to Harry's girlfriend.

Parvati wrestled against Lestrange's grip, gasping for air. The madwoman laughed, her nails digging into Parvati's skin until she bled.

"Let go of her," ordered Harry, feeling sickened and pained, "and where have you taken Sirius! I know you've got him!"

"It was a ruse to lure you here, Potter," explained Malfoy simply. "Your precious godfather is safe, sound, and not in the possession of the Dark Lord."

Harry faltered.

It had been a trick. _Sirius was alive_.

"Then why bring me here?" he asked, enraged.

"The Dark Lord wanted to, ahh, _test_ you…and my comrades and I here thought we'd have a little fun."

Malfoy seemed to be enjoying toying with Harry, for he continued, "Potter, you and your mudblood friends mustn't think I'm too nasty…"

Out of the darkness, a dozen more Death Eaters, cloaked in sable robes and terrifying masks fell in behind Malfoy.

Harry swallowed, trying to force the bile back down his throat. It physically sickened him to hear his love been nearly strangled behind him. Lestrange cackled and Malfoy's simpering smile grew wider.

"…I think I'm rather generous when I want to be." sustained Malfoy. "So I'll tell you what, Potter. I'll give you and your lackeys to the count of three before we kill you. I suggest you start running."

Harry chanced a look back at the group. They looked terrified. Harry signalled at them.

They would run and try to aim as many hexes at the Death Eaters as they could.

Harry looked back at Lucius Malfoy with a steely gaze.

"Have it your way," he said, gritting his teeth. He gripped his wand tighter.

Lestrange let go of Parvati. She scampered off the floor, gasping. Harry took a step backwards. Harry couldn't risk checking if she was okay. He couldn't risk thinking about if Voldemort's 'test' was complete. He couldn't even risking worrying about the situation he had gotten the people he cared about most into.

Malfoy started counting.

"_One_…"

Harry bolted, hot on the heels of Ron and Hermione. He glanced at Parvati as they ran down the lengthy corridor. She had angry red marks along her neck and arms.

Harry's feet pounded into the floorboards as he ran further away from the enemy. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, the blood pounding in his ears.

Seamus turned sharply to the right, running down in aisle of prophecies. The rest of the group followed. Harry looked up at the high shelves of swirling orbs.

"_Reducto_!" he incanted, aiming his wand at the topmost shelf behind him. He ran faster, avoiding the cascading shards of glass as the shelves smashed down behind the group. He heard Ron follow his lead and cast the spell. The green-eyed teenager hoped it would hinder the Death Eaters catching up to them.

Harry followed as Seamus threw open a large wooden door and fled inside the new room.

Harry could hear the yells of Death Eaters not too far behind them. Harry took the lead and guided the group to quickly turn left at down a long, wide hallway. The hallway was brightly lit, with strange ornaments hanging. The voices sounded closer.

Hermione shrieked. Harry heard her cry "Tarantallegra!", and he saw a flash of light streak past him. Her curse hit a Death Eater, emitting a loud cry from him.

Harry grinned, but the grin soon fell from his face as he quickly scanned what was in front of him. Three passageways; each an exit from the room. Harry grabbed Parvati's hand, and he, his girlfriend and Hermione ran through the passageway on the far left. They didn't have time to see which ways the others took.

"_Potter_!" Bellatrix Lestrange's voice echoed gleefully down their passageway. Harry could hear her cackles over his friends' desperate and fast footsteps. Parvati let go of Harry's hand in an effort to run faster. She let out a cry of relief as a flood of light came out from the end of the passageway and into another room. In a few seconds, they had left the passageway and Bellatrix behind.

The room they had entered was brightly lit, the light sparkling like a thousand diamonds. Strange and eerie clocks hung on every surface.

"Where do we go?" asked Parvati, not clearly seeing an exit from the time room.

Harry could hear Bellatrix coming closer. He feebly threw a trip jinx her way, but was unable to hear if he hit his target. Hermione had directed him to exit through a small door she had found underneath an ageing timepiece.

The three of them kept running until a familiar voice was heard, followed by a shriek. Harry deviated sharply to the right.

They entered an almost long, rectangular room with lamps hanging from the ceiling. It was almost empty apart from what appeared to be desks surrounding a large murky green tank. There were things -almost like brains - lurking in the tank.

"Who screamed?" he asked, but he need not have. In the far corner, Lavender's petrified expression gave way to a pained one as she stared at her ankle helplessly. Harry had a funny feeling that no bone should be jutting at an angle like that. Seamus looked a little sickened as he tried to support Lavender. His eyes kept darting over to the tank. It seemed her ankle was not the source of Lavender's cries.

At first, Harry thought Dean and Neville were wrestling Ron: but they were fighting against the brain-like being that had leeched upon Ron's forearms in a stranglehold. Hermione screamed as Ron was helplessly jerked from side to side in his friends' efforts to remove the brain-thing. He did not appear to be conscious.

"What happened?" asked Hermione, petrified.

"We were chased by Malfoy," explained Neville as he struggled. "He cast some weird spell on Lavender, but Seamus got him with a stinging hex."

Harry started to run over to help his best friend Ron, but a low, haughty laugh from behind him rendered him motionless.

"Lestrange," he hissed, his green eyes flashing in anger. She would pay for hurting Parvati.

"Hello Harry," she said in a sweet voice, tracing her strong jaw with a dainty finger.

"Hello Longbottom!" She called over to Neville, her eyes wild with insane delight. "How are you parents doing?"

Neville shot a curse at Lestrange but she deflected it almost lazily with her wand.

"This is so boring," she said, covering her mouth with her hand for emphasis. Her mouth slithered in a coy smile. "How about we have some fun?"

She turned to Lavender, who had managed just to get up. "Aren't you sweet? _Crucio_!"

Lavender writhed and trashed in pain, her severely injured ankle clashing against the wall. The bone broke through the flesh.

Bellatrix lifted the curse. Lavender appeared to be semi-conscious.

Seamus let out a cry out outrage. He moved until he stood directly parallel to Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Get away from her-" he started to yell, his sandy hair flinging into his eyes.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" Bellatrix screamed a rapturous lilt to her voice. A blast of green light hit Seamus Finnegan square in the chest and rendered him lifeless instanousely. The force of the killing curse flung him back into the tank. His body smashed into the glass. The murky, jade water gushed out of the broken tank.

Lavender let out a blood-curdling scream.

Harry met Bellatrix's gaze, the horror of what had just happened slowly unfolding.

Her strong features melted into a picture of innocence.

"Oops," she breathed, twirling her wand idly. "Guess I got a bit carried away."

She gave the broken group a swift glance before she ran down the corridor she came out of.

Harry's legs started to move before he realised had he starting chasing Bellatrix Lestrange. Her girlish laughter echoed down the corridor, taunting Harry.

She fled into the room adorned with timepieces.

"Come and fight!" Harry yelled, incensed by her cowardice. He did not hear a response from the Death Eater.

He entered the time room, quickly enveloped by an eerie silence. Bellatrix was nowhere to be seen.

Red eyes set in slitted sockets caught Harry's gaze.

"Hello, Harry Potter," greeted Lord Voldemort as he appeared from under the shadow of a grandfather clock. "I've waited along time for this."

Harry felt like he way going to be sick.

_Kill the spare…_

"Waited for what?" Harry asked, determined not to show his fear.

Lord Voldemort tilted his head, as if contemplating Harry himself. "To kill you," he said simply.

Harry's knees buckled, and slowly, like a thousand, tiny insects, agonising and unbearable pain crept up along his body, searing deep under his skin.

Harry's jaw moved in agony. "Give up, Harry Potter…" The words hissed out from his lips by an alien voice. "Give up…you cannot win against me…"

The pain had reached his head. His vision was red; he tasted something metallic in his mouth. It seemed from far away he could see Parvati racing towards him, her hands outstretched, determined to save him.

"Harry!"

_Harry! Harry! Harry!_

The shrieked words reverberated around his mind. That beautiful voice.

_Harry! Harry! Harry!_

He felt a cool and familiar hand touch his bare forearm. A shock of electricity seemed to pass through his body. He heard screams, his, hers, and the enraged roar of Voldemort. The agony suddenly fled his body.

Everything went black.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati held tight onto her boyfriend's hand, determined not to let go. The cool white metal bar of the hospital bed that she leaned on soothed her sore arm.

"Miss Patil," said Madam Pomfrey, "You've had a tough few days. I think it would be wise to rest."

Parvati shook her head. "No," she answered stubbornly. "I want to be here when he wakes up." She ignored the matron's look of disapproval.

Harry hadn't woken up for three days. It had been a long three days.

_It was on the first day that_ _Parvati remembered being gently awakened by her mother, still in the time room; the place had been filled with Order of the Phoenix members. Apparently Snape had been bluffing to Harry. Her mother was cradling Parvati in her arms, as though she were a child again. Harry was being looked over by a aged-looking Sirius Black. Parvati could hear Mad-Eye Moody shouting orders at everyone. Dumbledore was dealing with a very distressed Minister for Magic. Parvati, too exhausted to even lift her head, slowly faded out as her mum assured her everything would be okay._

_She had truly woken up in the Hospital Wing, the sterile white ceiling slowly coming to focus as she opened her eyes. It had been the second day. Her whole body ache as though she had been beaten. She remembered with horrifying detail the ordeal. The Department of Mysteries; Harry's vision being a trick; Bellatrix's nails as they dug into her skin; Lavender's screams; Ron's unconscious, strangled form; Seamus's body, lifeless, smashing into the tank; Harry, possessed by Lord Voldemort; her body so anguished as she touched his arm; the infinite number of visions that flashed before her eyes as she screamed; the way her mind abruptly became blank before she succumbed to unconsciousness._

_Hermione, Neville and Dean has suffered only minor cuts and bruises, and had been waiting, bleary-eyed, for their friends to wake up. Ron would have scarring from his ordeal with the brain, but was otherwise unhurt._

_Parvati too had come away with little physical injury: it was her Sight that worried her. Something had happened when she had touched Harry when he was possessed. Parvati had tried to force a vision, but it was as though her Sight hit a brick wall every time._

_Lavender's ankle had been instantly repaired, but it seemed her wounds went far deeper._

_Lavender had stared, almost dazedly, at Parvati as she had whispered, "S-Seamus and I…we…we…"_

_Parvati's blood ran cold. "You two were together?"_

_"Yes," Lavender replied, hopelessly repressing a strangled sob. "For the last m-month or two. We were going to…announce it…after the exams…"_

_It still had not fully registered to Parvati that her friend was dead. It didn't seem real. She and Lavender had spoken just earlier that morning. None of them knew where Seamus' body was: his family had arranged for a private funeral in a few days time._

Parvati was brought back to the present moment by Harry stirring.

Harry had only suffered minor injuries from the fight in the Department of Mysteries. According to Dumbledore, the possession would not leave any lasting wounds.

Parvati wasn't so sure: Harry had been through so much. He had seen so many people die. He had been tormented and manipulated by an adult man. Surely, that would leave a scar?

Harry slowly came to awareness.

"Hi," he said, his voice hoarse.

Parvati felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I was so scared for you," she whispered.

She gently placed Harry's glasses on his face. Harry gave her a faint smile.

"You saved my life," he croaked.

What?

"Voldemort…when he…when he was using me, you touched me, and it sent him away."

Parvati climbed into Harry's bed and stretched out alongside him. It felt so right to be next to him.

"Thank you," Harry finished.

Parvati kissed him on lightly on the lips. He looked more exhausted than Parvati felt.

"Go to sleep," she encouraged softly, tracing the dark circles under his eyes, and Harry obliged.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Lavender was staring into her lap, her long black skirt pooling into her lap. Today was the day of Seamus' Finnegan's funeral. It was being held in Seamus's hometown. They had been granted special leave to go – Neville, Dean, Harry, Ron, Parvati and Lavender. The two girls were getting ready.

"Parvati?" Lavender broke the silence with her fragile voice.

"Yeah?"

"I…I've been thinking…you know how I have that modelling contract? Well, I've been offered to model full time. They say I have a good chance of making it big."

"Oh," replied Parvati, her insides cold with dread. She was going to lose her best friend. "Are you going to take the offer?"

Lavender brushed a few stray tears away with her dainty fingers. Her voice was thick with emotion as she spoke. "I don't know, Par…I don't know if I can come back…"

Lavender collapsed into sobs. She muffled them with her cardigan. After awhile, she grew silent. She soon revealed her blotchy red face from her clothing.

"Lav?" asked Parvati gently.

Lavender made a small noise in reply.

Parvati bit her lip. "I can do your make up if you want."

Lavender slowly met Parvati's eyes. "Okay," she whispered dully.

Parvati set about doing Lavender's make up. She applied the foundation against Lavender's perfect skin, rouge on her cheeks, eyeliner and mascara for her eyes. As Parvati let the red lipstick run along Lavender's pale lips, two dark tears fell down the girl's pale cheeks and over the ridge of her cerise upper lip. Lavender closed her eyes.

"I can't...I can't wear any, not today," Lavender whispered brokenly. She went into the bathroom and washed her face.

Parvati followed. Wordlessly, she picked up the washcloth that rested on the ivory basin and wiped it along the side of Lavender's face. It hurt Parvati to look into her best friend's eyes. Her blue eyes held so much sudden and furious grief. Parvati never truly knew how much love Lavender could possess: her past, casual relationships hadn't given any evidence to the solemnity of her character. Everything with Seamus had been so quick and wonderful, only to die in a brilliant spectacle of sorrow.

Lavender fell against Parvati, tugging at the hem of her black dress.

"Why?" was all she asked.

Parvati could not give her an answer.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati watched as the scenery whipped by behind the windowpane. Seamus's funeral and the Leaving Feast had treaded by slowly and painfully. This train trip was like no other. No one had spoken for nearly half an hour, too consumed and numbed from the loss of their friend, their classmate. Lavender, who was sitting on the opposite seat in Parvati's train compartment, stared unseeingly out the window, her blue eyes bright in the glass reflection.

The brown-haired witch found small comfort in the sensation of Harry's weight as he sat next to her.

Harry shifted in his seat. Parvati felt his lips against her skin. She turned to see him standing up.

"I'll be back in a second," he said softly. His expression was oddly guarded. "We're almost at London, I just want to say goodbye to Ron and Hermione."

Parvati nodded, giving him a small smile as he left the compartment. She felt a dull weight pressing on her head, making her eyelids heavy. It lasted only for a minute, maybe more. She was anxious to see her mother: she had only confessed to Harry that she thought something might have gone wrong with her Seer abilities.

Soon enough the Hogwarts Express slid into its stop at Platform 9 ¾.

Parvati slowly exited with Lavender. She said a tearful goodbye to her best friend. Lavender said she would call in before she would make any real decisions about her future.

"Parvati!"

She whipped her head around to find Harry making his way through the bustling crowd.

"I need to tell you something," Harry said sincerely, his voice cracking. He looked as though he was about to cry. "This is not…I wish it wasn't now, with everything that's happened…"

"I love you," he said honestly with an almost pleading look on his face. Parvati could feel tears welling in her eyes. What had happened?

She unconsciously moved closer towards Harry, and he wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face into his chest, feeling both anxious and safe.

Harry cleared his throat. "I just…I think I might need a break, from everyone, really."

Parvati stared, stunned as Harry continued. She could not hear the crowd, only his voice.

"A couple of weeks, not too long."

Parvati turned her head and met Harry's eyes. He gently wiped a tear from her soft cheek.

"I just need time to sort myself out," he explained slowly. "I'll see you when I'm ready…"

Parvati couldn't hold back a sob. She should have expected this - she certainly understood. She could not blame him for this decision, sudden as it was. She knew Harry needed this time for himself. She knew they would be okay.

It hurt so much just to think about being be apart from him, not be able to talk to him, after the year they had had…

"Okay," she agreed shakily. They silently rocked back and forth on the spot, holding each other so tight that it hurt. Parvati heard Harry sniff. Parvati squeezed tighter against her love. It was like letting go half of herself.

She gave him a goodbye kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too," Harry declared back, "with all my heart."

"Bye," Parvati whispered, as Harry stepped away from their embrace. He looked almost pained by the physical separation.

"Bye," he replied, and he hastily wiped a tear from his face.

_He just needs time_, Parvati said to herself as she and Harry parted ways.

* * *

**A/N**: Make way for some emotional and sexual tension.... :) Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers! I love you all dearly and I try to get back to as many of you as I can!


	22. Prophetic

**25 Prophetic**

A small, indulgent smile graced Harry's lips as he gazed at her skin. It glowed magnificently in the sun; her majestic, smooth chocolate skin contrasted against the golden sunlight that highlighted her features. Her long calves, her slender waist, the curve of her hips and breasts, her full, cerise lips that begged to be kissed. The sand coated her feet and was dusted along the edge of her red bikini bottoms. Her wet hair stuck to her skin. Parvati laughed as she watched Harry, his eyes glued to her magnificent body. Her laughter was a more amazing sound that the low crash of the waves behind them. The sun was half dipped in the ocean behind them. As the sun set, Harry could hear the wildlife starting to come alive; cicadas sounding and birds calling. The air was hazy with salt. The hourglass shape of her figure was accentuated as she lay on her side, the left side of her head palmed by her hand. She had eyes for Harry only.

His butterfly kisses started at her ankle until he reached her collarbone. Harry suckled on the soft skin of her neck. Parvati moved her head so that Harry's lips met with hers.

"I've always wanted to make love on the beach," she whispered, her words, like honey, dripping from her mouth. Her voice was heavy. "Make love to me, Harry."

Harry awoke to find himself tangled up in his sheets, on the floor. He groaned.

Harry managed to untangle himself from his sheets and threw them back on his bed. He waited for his uncle's roar of "Boy!", because surely his fall from his bed had made a lot of noise. Not to mention the floorboards in Dudley's second - therefore his- bedroom were creaky. Then, Harry remembered.

He wasn't _at_ the Dursley's.

Sirius had managed to negotiate with Dumbledore, and just three weeks into his summer holidays, Harry was now staying at number 12 Grimmauld Place. His summer had been…trying, at best.

The needling though in the back of Harry's mind - that Lord Voldemort did want something to do with him. The Order of the Phoenix meetings had continued, the threat of Death Eaters were ever-present, but Professor Dumbledore had not warned or confided in Harry. Harry wanted answers - why did he scar affect him so? What had happened with Parvati when he was possessed? - But did not ask them. Not yet. Before he could deal with Voldemort, Harry had to deal the internal war that raged inside of him.

Dumbledore, Harry was led to believe, had pulled some strings within the Ministry of Magic and Sirius had received a public apology, and was pardoned of all his accused crimes. Sirius had used his freedom to spend more time with his godson. Harry had turned sixteen and had been persuaded by Sirius to get his driver's license. "First a car, then a motorbike," the wizard had grinned. While he had trouble with stalling, Harry didn't think he was too bad at driving - although he admitted flying on a broomstick was much easier. Harry privately thought that maybe Sirius was disappointed by Harry's attitude - Harry had found himself to be more quiet than ever. Probably nothing what his Dad was like at sixteen. He had caught up with Ron and Hermione a few times already in the summer, but the one person he had wanted to see the most was the one he steered clear of.

_Parvati_. _Parvati. Parvati._

Harry sighed as her name swirled around in his head as he showered and changed into a green t-shirt and jeans. The green-eyed-teen yawned as he descended the stairs.

Sirius was now cleanly shaven and looking more like the man in Harry's parents wedding photograph each day. He was sitting at the dining table reading a copy of The Daily Prophet. The headline read _YOU-KNOW-WHO KILLS FIFTY IN SURPRISE ATTACK_. At the sound of his godson's footfalls, he looked up with a smile.

Sirius jerked his head toward the kitchen. "I wouldn't go in there. Tonks is attempting to bake a cake for the Order meeting tonight."

Harry answered with a sleepy smile, yawning. He sat down at the table as his Godfather conjured a glass of orange juice for him.

"Exhausted, huh?" asked Sirius. "It's nearly three o'clock in the afternoon."

Harry mumbled awkwardly, "Yesterday was…different. Kind of hard."

Harry choked down the embarrassing memory of the woman watching with kind eyes as tears rolled down his face.

Sirius opened his mouth to speak, but Harry quickly interjected, "I don't really wanna talk about it. No offense."

Sirius folded up the newspaper. "None taken, kiddo. Are…are you sure you want to keep going with it? From the way you acted after it yesterday…well, I thought maybe it wasn't such the best idea."

Harry picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and stared at it intently. "I think it's for the best," he replied softly.

Harry ate in silence. When he was finished, he asked of Sirius, "I was wondering whether you could take me to Parvati's today?"

Sirius' contemplative expression slipped into a grin. "Planning to sweep Miss Patil off her feet?"

Harry let out a laugh. "Something like that. I'm going to apologise for being a moody git and hope she takes me back."

Tonks entered from the kitchen, a tea towel in her hands and a smudge of what looked like chocolate across her cheek. Her hair was spiky and bright green. "You should take her flowers. I find that always works. What's her favourite colour?"

"Uhm, green."

Tonks snorted. "Okay, Harry, I'll make you a deal. You help me make this stupid cake and I'll take you to a florist myself."

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry held the bouquet of red camellias nervously in one hand as he knocked on the door. He checked that flowers were still the same as they were five seconds ago. He smoothed a hand over his raven, unruly hair, for some reason thinking it might lie flat. He heard the thunder of feet clamber down the staircase, and then little clicks, as the door was unlocked. Harry held his breath, nervous.

Parvati turned her head around as she opened the door, her hair swinging behind her. She stopped at the sight of Harry. Harry heard a soft gasp escape from her lips, all the colour draining from her face.

"Hi, Parvati," he started, swallowing nervously. He gripped the camellias tightly as he held them out to Parvati, almost like a peace offering. "It's so good to see you again."

Parvati took the flowers numbly, her gaze never leaving Harry's face. "H-Harry…" she said slowly.

Parvati's face went strangely blank. She dropped the bouquet of camellias.

Harry frowned, worried. "Parvati?"

Padma appeared in the doorway. "Oh, hey, Harry!" she exclaimed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Something's wrong with Parvati," he said urgently, not bothering with pleasantries.

Padma spun Parvati around and looked into her identical eyes. "Oh shit! Not again!"

Parvati's eyes were unfocused. Her lips were moving, but no sound issued from them.

"What's happening?" Harry asked quickly.

"I knew her voice sounded a bit off before," Padma muttered, his voice urgent. She smoothed Parvati's hair back as she leant her sister against the door.

"What's going on?" Harry pressed urgently.

"It's her visions, they're getting worse. Lately she's been convulsing… _Shiva_, what am I gunna do? Mum's not home!"

"Parvati?" Harry reached out towards her shoulder. "Can you hear me?"

Harry's put his hand on Parvati's shoulder, her smooth skin beneath his hand.

Parvati's eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her lips stopped moving. Then, they moved, and her voice was cold.

"_He will be defeated by he who has thrice defied him…He will be defeated by those who have been destined…He will be defeated….and They will rise again…_"

Parvati let out a scream and collapsed in her sister's arms.

* * *

**A/N:** What do you make of Parvati's prophecy? And what is Harry partaking in that has made Sirius so unsure? **Someone with the most interesting theories will get to read part of the epilogue :)** Apologies for the length, but if I didn't get this out I would have flamed myself for being negligent -it's been sitting in my computer for over a month now, half finished. Blame excessive assignments and major works. Thanks to everyone who lurks, reads and reviews.


	23. Seer

**26 Seer**

**Author Note:** Congratulations - and many thanks - to **dexterZ** for rewarding me with my 500th review. Thanks as always to the trusty HP Lexicon. **Fire From Above** is the winner for most interesting theory - please send me a PM so I know you're still around and I'll send you your prize :) You can also find Butterfly at Blogspot: _http: / butterflylittlemissmionie dot blogspot dot com /_

**P.S**. As you may have noticed, the prophecy revealed in OotP does not appear in this story. That means no Hallows or Horcruxes, either.

* * *

_What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?_

_- Mohandas Gandhi_

* * *

Parvati felt pressure against her forehead, cool and slick. Soft.

The last thing she remembered was seeing Harry…

…but why would Harry be at her house?

….They hadn't spoken in weeks…

Parvati's limbs felt heavy. Her mind was a mess. There was a confusion of voices above her, and she decided she must be dreaming.

A familiar, male voice floated in through the black.

"You said she's been okay these past few weeks?"

"At the start she was really lethargic, and Mum took her to a healer, but they had no clue. Just said her iron levels were probably low. But I think she figured something out with her visions, because up until now she's been okay."

Parvati snapped her eyes open. At first, the light was blinding, but soon her eyes adjusted and focused on her surroundings. She was staring at her ceiling.

"What happened?" Her voice was croaky. At least she couldn't taste blood.

Padma helped her sit up. Parvati lowered her gaze, feeling somewhat embarrassed to see Harry Potter lurking in the doorway.

"You collapsed," Padma explained. "And…uhhh…"

Padma averted her gaze and squirmed physically.

"Just tell me."

It was Harry that spoke. "You made a prophecy, Par."

_Shock_.

"I…what?"

Harry looked up and recalled what he had heard. "'He will be defeated by he who has thrice defied him…He will be defeated by those who have been destined…He will be defeated….and They will rise again…'"

Parvati swallowed heavily. Echoing words haunted her mind. "I think I remember, now."

Padma frowned. "What do you suppose it means?"

Parvati pushed herself upright on her bed and sat cross-legged. She didn't want to think about the prophecy she had just voiced: something inside her told her it was not pertinent.

"I don't really want to talk about it right now," she hedged, looking at Padma. Padma understood the look her twin sister was giving her, and nodded.

"I'll leave you two to it," she said softly, closing the door behind her.

Parvati heard Harry gulp: she looked up, and smiled softly.

"Hey, you," she started, amused at how terrified Harry seemed to be. "Are you scared _of_ me or scared _for_ me?"

Harry ran his fingers through his raven hair. "For you. This whole Seer thing really takes it out of you."

"Mmm. Sometimes. Uhmmm….so….you brought me flowers."

Harry looked taken back at the sudden change in conversation topic. "Uh, yeah, I brought you flowers."

Sometimes boys were so _daft_! "_Why_ did you bring me flowers, Harry?"

"I wanted to apologise to you for being a stupid self-obsessed arsehole."

Parvati grinned. "I forgive you."

"What?"

"Hmmm?"

"You aren't mad? You aren't going to chuck books at my head? Scream for me to never return?"

Parvati patted the mattress, motioning for Harry to sit in front of her. He did so obediently.

"Harry…I've been Seeing you all holidays."

"Like, Seeing with a capital 'S'?"

"Yeah…I was, understandably, thinking about you a lot, and I hadn't gotten a vision in ages, not since before the whole Sirius incident. I was up one night, doing my Divination homework-"

"I'm so glad I dropped that subject, what were you doing, working out moon phases?"

"-No," Parvati said impatiently, her voice rising with excitement, "the textbook was describing how when someone thinks really hard and gets into a certain state of mind they can control their Inner Eye.

"So I sat there in my room for, like, four hours, and concentrated on you, and then, I could See you! I kept trying and trying…and Harry…I think I've figured out a way to control what I See."

Harry stared at her widely. "Really?"

"Yeah! All this time I was just totally bewildered by what was happening I never really stood up and took control - I didn't think I could. It's like that Occlumency and Legimency stuff - once you know how to do it, and master the skill, you can block things out and force things too. Oh, I'm sure I'll get the odd vision when fate really wants to knock me sideways, like that prophecy, but that's not important now, because apart from that I won't live my life wondering when next I'll be put into a precognitive daze!"

Harry's jaw had slackened. "You're really excited about this aren't you?"

"Yes!" Parvati squealed excitedly.

"Then I'm ecstatic for you," Harry replied sincerely.

Then, suddenly, Parvati leaned over and kissed Harry straight on the lips.

Harry moved away, shocked.

"Oh, come on Harry, you're going to ask me out again in seventeen seconds anyways, and I know I already say yes!"

"…You are quite scary when you are overjoyed," muttered Harry, unnerved.

"Sorry. I'll calm down, now."

"I think it's been seventeen seconds. Will you take me back?"

"Yes, I will," Parvati said softly. She moved over so she was leaning against him. It felt to both of them like a very natural, comforting yet desired gesture. It felt right for them to be so at ease with one another.

"Listen to your heart!" Harry remarked. "It's still going a million miles an hour."

Parvati smiled, and looked up into Harry's eyes. "So, tell me all about your holidays. I know Sirius charmed your driver's license to put up your age."

Harry laughed. "You Saw that?"

"You bet I did, you cheeky bugger. And who's the lady you went to?"

"She's…uh…my therapist."

Parvati waited for Harry to continue explaining.

"It's called _psychotherapy_, which sounds scary, but it's not really," Harry assured her. "I just talk to this nice woman about all the stuff that's happened and she helps me sort out how I feel about it and how I can deal with it. She offers an objective point-of-view."

Parvati reached up and stroked the length of Harry's jaw. "I think that's a really smart idea. Did Hermione think of it?"

"Yeah, no surprises there, huh?"

"She is a smart one. Will you continue you the sessions during school?"

"Yeah, through the Floo or by post, I think."

"And…." Parvati took a deep breath. Here was the big moment. "You've sort of figured out you probably have to kill Voldemort because that's the most likely reason why he wants to eliminate you."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, before mumbling, "Killing Voldemort…it's strange. He's such a figurehead…if we kill him, it will stop a large amount of this- this impending _war_. But there's still followers out there, all part of a crazy cult who want to get rid of a group of innocent people. Killing Voldemort won't bring back all the people who have died, and I won't make up for all the suffering that he's caused people - or the suffering I might cause people in my quest to kill him. And I mean, _after_ I kill him, can I just leave the rest up to Aurors? When does my responsibility end?"

"You don't want to be a murderer, either," Parvati whispered.

"No," he admitted softly. "That would make me as bad as him. But what choice do I have?"

"There's always another way, Harry. We'll figure it out."

"I hope so," Harry sighed. He smiled tiredly, lacing his fingers in between Parvati's. He changed the subject. They would have ages to talk about what would happen in the future.

"How's Lavender been?" he questioned.

"She's alright. She's living in the middle of London now; she took up that Witch Weekly modelling gig."

"She's not coming back to school?"

"Nope."

"Well, if it makes her happy…"

"I think it will."

Parvati moved from her position and stood up off the bed, smoothing down her messy hair.

"What else have you seen about me this summer?"

"Well, I knew you were going to bring me flowers - thank you, by the way, the colour is lovely. Aaaand…I know in two days we'll be going into Diagon Alley and doing something fun…"

"What type of fun?"

"Surely you know, Harry. You're getting a tattoo."

Harry went red. "I was thinking about it, yeah."

"I like the design Dean drew for you. It's very simple, yet it says a lot."

"Well, it is only one word…"

"Imagine Malfoy's face if he ever learned you got a tattoo! That ferret is such a broody git, he'd sook for weeks!"

"I 'spose that's what you get for having Death Eater parents."

"He was in the paper the other day, did you see? He looked pretty angry at the idea of his father in prison."

Harry agreed with Parvati. "Sirius said to watch out for - apparently a taste for revenge is something that runs in pureblood families."

"Oh!" Parvati's went blank for a moment, _then white, as quick as lighting, the gold band slipped onto her finger_ -

Parvati was shocked into immobility.

Harry was going to propose.

_This year. _

_Why? _

_Was she going to die!_

_Was she going to get pregnant!_

Another vision of the proposal flashed before her eyes.

_Okay_, she reassured herself. _No babies. Yet. Just a ring._

"Parvati?" Harry called in a singsong voice. "What did you See?"

Parvati quickly fixed her features into a hasty smile. "Um, nothing. Just you showing off your tattoo to Ron."

"Oh, wicked."

Parvati squeezed his hand, laughing nervously. Harry didn't notice her voice went up an octave.

"Yeah, cool," she tried to say in a normal voice.

On the inside, Parvati almost took a deity's name in vain.

_By the end of the year I'm going to be engaged to Harry Potter._

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati giggled nervously. "You sure you're ready for this?"

It had been two days since Harry and Parvati had gotten back together, and were spending the day, as prophesised, in Diagon Alley. Parvati had picked up a new Charms textbook, Harry had drooled over the new Firebolt model, and now Harry had just finished getting his tattoo at a parlour on the fringes of the magically concealed entrance to Diagon Alley.

Parvati looked over the inked word: it was positioned on his chest over where his heart was. The redness around it looked painful.

"Always," she mouthed, tracing the loop of the 'y' with her finger in the air.

"I like it," she decided. "It's very simple."

Harry smiled. "I wanted something nice, something I can remember and honour my mum and dad and Cedric and Seamus with. Where'd you just come back from?"

Parvati had snuck out of the tattoo parlour minutes earlier. She moved her hair back from her face and revealed her earlobes. Dangling from them were lightning-bolt shaped silver earrings.

"You like?"

"You're evil."

"You know you love it."

"You've stolen my trademark!" he cried in mock outrage.

Parvati grinned and leant over to kiss her boyfriend.

"Well," she said decisively, "now it's ours."

"I'm not sure if I like the fact you're wearing a token from a mass-murderer…" Harry said after a moment as they walked through the Leaky Cauldron on their way to re-enter Diagon Alley.

Parvati huffed, and stopped Harry in his tracks. "Harry, _shut up_."

"_Excuse me?_"

"You heard me. _Shut up_. There is no doubt that this year is going to suck just as badly as the last two have - Voldemort's gaining power quicker than ever. So, because this year is going to be so shitty, I forbid you to mope about things unless you are talking to your therapist or we are actually having a full on conversation about it. Not when I am about to treat you Fortescue's ice cream, okay?"

Parvati had respected a meek 'Okay' in response, but Harry replied rather hoarsely, "God, I love you."

Parvati couldn't help the smile that flitted on her face at those words.

"Come on, _Potter_, let's have some fun!"

* * *

**A/N:** I hope someone picked up the elephant-sized plot-hint(s). Pretty please review.


	24. The Half Blood Prince

**27 The Half Blood Prince****A/N:** Thank you to eveyone who read and reviewed chapter twenty-six! (And to the _crazy_ amount of people who put Butterfly on alert! Ta, lovelies!) A special thanks to Tonks-Shadow for being my sounding board.

* * *

Draco Malfoy would never claim to be a pleasant person.

He aimed the dart at his target: a picture of Harry Potter. The dart hit Potter's cheek. Draco Malfoy watched in glee as the Wizarding photograph howled with pain and blood dripped down Saint Potter's face.

Malfoy heard the footfalls of someone down the Manor's grand hallway, but didn't look out from his bedroom. If someone wanted to find him, they could do it themselves. The loud footsteps were distracting; Draco missed his target, the dart falling to the floor.

The source of the disturbance, Blaise Zabini, leant on the doorframe of Draco Malfoy's lavish bedroom casually. "Hello, Draco," he greeted cordially.

Draco spun around. "Hello, Zabini."

"Muggle darts, Draco?"

Draco Malfoy smoothed his hair, trying not to look flustered at a connection to those…pitiful little _people_. "Mother forbade me to charm them, but I wasn't going to give up on a good chance to terrorise Potter."

"Terrorising Potter seems to be a family trait."

Draco smirked. "Indeed. He's so pathetic, hanging around with Mudbloods and half-breeds, someone needs to put him in his place."

"It's pity all the girls think he's a catch. I've even heard Parkinson speak fondly of his looks."

"Merlin, don't talk to me about Parkinson."

"She's a right old pug isn't she?" Zabini laughed.

"You know, Potter's girl isn't so bad looking -"

" - She's half _Muggle_, Zabini - "

" - But have you heard she's a Seer?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Yes, I have. Sounds like a load of bollocks to me, though."

"Still, such magical power like that at our age…I think it's rather interesting. Imagine if she were at the Dark Lord's mercy."

"In any case, Zabini, her father was an Auror. He hunted Slytherins like your father and mine."

Zabini grinned. "Until my father killed him, of course."

Draco's eyebrows rose. "I had no idea. Good on him."

"Yes, it _is_ too bad that he died. Have you _seen_ my latest step-father, though? Sometimes I don't think my mother mourns father."

Draco sighed, tired of the conversation. He didn't care to hear of Zabini's trivial woes. Up until recently, his family had been perfect. He didn't care for anyone else to complain.

Draco smoothed his hair back again to express his boredom. His long sleeve slipped.

Zabini's eyes flickered towards Draco's wrist, and he smiled. He took a seat on Draco's lavish four-poster bed, complete with silken jade sheets, without waiting for permission. Draco almost bristled at the impoliteness, until Zabini came out with, "Ahh, so the rumours are true. You really are a Death Eater."

Draco tried not to look affected by Zabini's pronouncement.

"Mother was not pleased," Draco elaborated slowly, warily, "but it had to be done. It is my duty to rectify my father's mistakes."

"Yes, I had heard from Mother than the Lord was not all together pleased with the way Malfoy Senior handled things at the Ministry."

Draco chose not to answer. Zabini was toying with him: the boy knew how much public embarrassment they Malfoy name had endured recently, not to mention the fury of their breadwinner's master. Only a fool would have not chosen to take his father's place in the Dark Lord's inner circle.

Draco Malfoy was not a fool.

"I find the peacocks in the front yard particularly charming," Blaise commented after a few minutes of silence, understanding the previous turn of conversation was not appreciated.

Draco aimed: another dart hit Potter's eye. He paused before answering.

"Mother likes expensive things."

They were silent for a moment.

"Why are you here, Zabini?" Draco asked in clipped tones.

Zabini smiled widely, showing his perfect white teeth. "I was wondering when you were going to ask. As you know, Draco, I do enjoy _knowledge_ - but I'll come to that in a moment. I'm here because I found this book in the potions cupboard last year. Some of the notes made are quite…interesting. I know you have a job to do and thought it may come of use to you seeing as you won' t be focussing so much on education."

Draco tried not to look as interested as he felt.

"Show me."

Zabini ordered upon a nearby house-elf and soon the creature retrieved the curious book from Zabini's belongings, which had been stowed in the living room upon his entrance to the Malfoy Manor. Draco shut his door in order to obtain some privacy and secrecy about their potential deal.

"'This book belongs to the Half-Blood Prince'," Malfoy read, a disgusted look on his face. "I don't want anything to do with half-breeds, Zabini."

"Don't judge a book by it's previous owner so quickly, Draco." Blaise flipped to a bookmarked page, and pointed to one word scrawled in the margins. "Look at this, it's a spell this Prince devised. 'For enemies - _Sectumsempra'_. The book is filled with spells that a man in your position could use…and cheats for Potions class."

Draco snapped the book shut. His mind was haunted by instructions and the word _sectumsempra. _

"What do you want in return, Zabini?"

A pause.

"I want to know what you are up to."

"Why?"

"Because I like to have knowledge. Because knowledge is power."

"You're not working for the Order, are you, Zabini?"

"I like to consider myself neutral in this impending war. My father was a Death Eater and my mother's one and that never got them very far. Neutrality seems to me to be the right way to go."

Remarking, "It's your funeral," Malfoy considered this for a moment, before confiding in Blaise Zabini of his Dark Lord's plans.

…::ooOOOoo::..

"You, Draco Malfoy, will administer the vanishing cabinet in Hogwarts as you have been instructed."

"Yes, my Lord."

"You will be faithful to your Lord and help Him to infiltrate Hogwarts."

"Yes, my Lord."

"You will rectify your father's mistakes and bring down Harry Potter."

"Yes, my Lord."

"When the time comes, you will attempt to kill Harry Potter yourself, no matter the means."

"Yes, my Lord."

"You will not fail me, Draco Malfoy."

"No, my Lord. I will not."

* * *

**A/N: **Oooh, plot twist! Please review :)


	25. Horror

**A/N: **Many thanks to the HP Lexicon for its handy list of spells and to all those who reviewed last chapter!

**Warnings**: Mildly graphic description of consensual sexual acts and mildly graphic scenes of violence and blood loss. Please be cautious when reading if you find these matters offensive and hurtful in any way.

* * *

Harry completely missed what Parvati found so funny about Dean's haircut because Hermione Granger had engulfed in him such a hug that he stumbled backwards.

"Hi, Hermione," he said weakly, his vision obscured by her bushy hair.

"I've missed you so much!" His best friend cried, finally letting him go and stepping back to observe him. "You're looking better," she commented approvingly. "Do you have good holidays?"

"Yes, I did, and thanks," Harry responded, accepting the compliment awkwardly. He looked around Platform 9 3/4. "What about you? Where's Ron?"

"Mine weren't bad. I got the new edition of _Hogwarts: A History_! I think Ron is Saying goodbye to his parents, Hermione replied before Parvati latched onto her.

Soon enough Ron joined Harry, Hermione, Parvati and Dean. The set of Gryffindors ventured off the find a compartment on the Hogwarts Express.

The train ride passed somewhat uneventfully. It was an assemblage of laughter, of tall stories and junk food, edging around the topic of Seamus and Death Eaters, small bets made on Quidditch teams, chuckling at Parvati's earrings, listening to Hermione read an interesting passage from _The Fountain of Fair Fortune_and thinking up products Lavender could endorse.

Days thickened into weeks, and weeks transformed into months. The time became lost for Harry and Parvati in a compilation of NEWT syllabuses, successful manipulations of visions and rewarding therapy sessions.

Sixth year was hard, their subjects full with content and somewhat dull due to Professor Snape's take over of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teaching position. Harry was glad to be rid of Potions; the new professor, Slughorn, seemed a bit intense.

Gryffindor was in the lead to win the House Cup, having stolen the first Quidditch match of the season from right under the Slytherin's noses – Draco Malfoy's in fact.

The ferret-like Slytherin had been looking wan and forlorn for most of the year – Hermione had said his rank had dropped substantially in their Ancient Runes class, as he was always absent.

Harry didn't know what to make of it, but didn't pursue his suspicions with too much vigour. When Parvati tried to See what was happening, all she could make out was Blaise Zabini meeting loping towards Harry and saying quickly, "Draco Malfoy let them in.", and gracefully striding off as though he hadn't said a word to the Gryffindor.

They both had decided it would be best just to wait until that vision came to life.

Parvati and Harry had also been very…publicly intimate during the year. Now that they were both in the right state of mind to do things – the fact that they were both now legally allowed didn't seem to cross their minds however – they were slowly working up to things.

Although her visions were calming down in frequency, intensity and purpose, Parvati had started having reoccurring dreams about the night Barty Crouch Junior held her hostage and Luc watched on. Hermione had attributed it to Parvati's subconscious finally having time to deal with experiences from the past instead of always being bombarded with present traumatic events – and Parvati agreed. However, she couldn't decide what she hated more: the visions or dreams.

In any case, Harry didn't want to trigger anything, happy to be as patient with her as she had been with him through fifth year and the holidays. Who knew there were so many different ways to make out with someone?

Ron and Hermione, who had been strangely cordial with each other all school year, didn't seem to find the couple's antics all that great.

It was lunch in the Great Hall, and Hermione was busy practicing a solidifying charm on her goblet of pumpkin juice, softly saying "Duro," every so often. Harry and Parvati were kissing rather passionately beside Ron. The sucking and breathing sounds coming from them seemed to actually turn Ron off his serve of carrot cake.

"So, Hermione," Ron said rather pointedly, "How's arithmancy?"

Hermione proceeded to roll her eyes but regale Ron with tales of her subject.

Later, Ron caught up with Harry on his way to Defence Against the Dark Arts and said in a hushed but blunt voice, "Harry, can you please not suck your girlfriend's face off when I'm eating breakfast?"

Harry went red, coughing. "Err, sorry, mate."

"No worries. I just don't need to see that type of thing at seven thirty am, you know?"

"Yeah, I get what you mean…"

"So, you and Parvati are going pretty good, yeah?"

Harry couldn't stop the goofy grin that appeared. "Yeah, it's fantastic."

"What's, you know, 'it' like?"

"What's 'it', exactly?"

Ron looked around and watched as a group of first years ran past. He waited until they were out of earshot.

"What's _sex_ like, mate?"

Harry tripped over his robes. "_Ron!_" he hissed loudly.

"What? I'm just curious!"

"We haven't got that far, yet, okay?"

"But…but you've been going out practically for two years!"

"Yeah, and we've had a lot of other stuff to deal with."

"Mmm, I 'spose homicidal maniacs do kill the vibe…"

"We're working up to it, all right?"

"So you've done other stuff…"

"Yes."

"And you're not bragging about it to us all?"

"Seamus didn't really have much respect for the girls he bragged about, Ron. I can tell you stuff, later, if you like. But not here. And not in detail, either. That's kinda weird."

They rounded the corner and saw the rest of the class start to shuffle inside.

"The noises Seamus made when he was re-enacting stuff weren't too great, either," Ron commented, before he and Harry burst out laughing at the memory of Seamus' tale of he and some Slytherin girl.

A silent realisation passed between them, though neither commented on it; it was okay to think and talk about their old friend again.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Harry had had it all planned out so smoothly: Hermione had given him plenty ideas he had used. Rose-scented candles, a secluded, romantic room – that had been too easy, he just used the Room of Requirement.

But now, as Parvati sat on the bed, in awe of the way the lights glowed pink, Harry became very nervous. He wasn't very good at this romantic stuff.

Harry ran a hand through his messy hair, seeming uneasy.

"Remember when we were here last time?" Harry certainly could. Vividly. "Well, err; I'd like to…return the favour, if it's okay with you."

Parvati blushed, which was somewhat uncharacteristic of her, her eyes wide. She then shyly nodded. "Okay."

She slowly moved herself backwards onto the best until her head was up against the headboard. She undid her grey school skirt, and slid it off. She then slid her white, lacy panties down her legs.

Harry's fingers were warm as they slide inside of her. It hurt her a bit at the start, but then his fingers moved and hit _that spot_ and Parvati couldn't find the words to describe the _pleasure_ she felt.

"Harry," she moaned uncontrollably. Her breaths were becoming heavy, and she could feel him shudder as she called his name.

A while passed, and Harry removed his fingers. He began placing butterfly kisses along Parvati's inner thighs, until his hot tongue found its way and he tasted her. She felt herself become wet. Parvati moaned louder, her heart thudding in her chest, her limbs feeling weightless and giddy at his touch.

Parvati woke up in the morning to see Harry staring at her, a smile on his face.

"You were snoring," he offered.

Parvati mumbled incoherently, her voice muffled by the pillows. "Mmmphuh."

Harry laughed and watched as she wriggled into a more comfortable position. "You are so not a morning person."

"Ayeuhvwoo," she said into the pillow after a few moments.

"I didn't catch that, Par."

Parvati raised her head and looked at her boyfriend through the strands of her messy hair.

"I said, 'I love you'."

"Love you too."

The two eventually got out of their bed and decided to clear out of what was fast becoming an old haunt for them. They hastily grabbed their things, shared a few lovingly long kisses, and parted ways; Parvati went to change her uniform before breakfast and Harry needed to go to the bathroom to freshen up before heading up to the dorms.

Harry watched, smiling to himself, as Parvati's retreating form vanished out of sight. He turned to the right and started to walk down the hall when he was stopped by a familiar figure walking behind him.

"What were you doing near the Room of Requirement, Malfoy?" he asked accusingly.

"None of your business, " Malfoy sneered, but he went as white as a sheet. "I'm…uh…going to the bathroom."

"Great. Me too."

The two walked tensely towards the lavatory. Harry could not shake the undeniable feeling that something was very wrong with Malfoy. He could feel the adrenaline start to kick in on instinct.

Harry walked towards the sink basin before turning around, starting to say, "Malfoy-?" when suddenly the boy cried, "Stupefy! _Stupefy_!"

Harry ducked and rolled along the ground, the jinxes missing him. What the hell?

"I can't let you be suspicious and tell Dumbledore," Malfoy hissed, threatening his wand again. He sounded desperate, his voice high and croaky, his eyes darting around the room.

"I don't even talk to Dumbledore, you idiot," Harry exclaimed, entirely truthful.

Malfoy, in his paranoid state, didn't seem to care. "It's almost time and I just can't let you stop me," he continued, seemingly pleading with himself.

"Furnunculus!" Malfoy then cried desperately, the curse missing Harry by inches.

"_Confringo_!" Harry hexed back, trying to defend himself. "Locomotor Mortis!"

The last spell hit Malfoy; his legs locked together, but in no time he was incanting the counter-curse.

Harry scrambled around the back of the showers, his heart racing. He didn't see Malfoy round the row of stalls before it was too late.

_"Sectumsempra!" _Malfoy shrieked.

.::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati practically skipped down to the Great Hall for breakfast, a smile effortlessly adorning her face. She ate her bowl of muesli and banana slices contently, surprised when she received a letter via the morning post. She recognised the owl to be Lavender's little black one. She excitedly ripped open the letter.

_Dearest Pav,_

_I miss you so much; I can't wait until I can see you again. I think you'd be proud. I'm doing a lot better these days. I've sent you a copy of this month's issue of Witch Weekly – I'm on page four! They cut a lot of my hair off, and it's now 'dark chocolate', but I think it rather suits me! Mum and Dad have been supportive of this whole modelling thing and even bought me a cake to celebrate my magazine appearance. Mum and I talked about Seamus a bit, too, over cocktails. You should try this one called Blue Lagoon, maybe, if your Sight ever stops being such a killjoy. It's so delish! Anyways, I'm not, you know….over Seamus…but I think I'm starting to get more to the fact that he's gone._

_I'm glad things are working out for you and Harry, honey – and in your next letter don't spare me any details! You know what they say about Seekers…and I want the full story! And oh my god, I'm so glad you are working out your visions. (Can you see me being a supermodel? Ha ha!)_

_Also, enclosed – look at me, I sound like Granger, 'enclosed!' – is a woman's name and address that I really think you should look at. Genevieve Gladrags__**.**__ She has shops in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, yes that is right, Gladrags Wizardwear!__**  
**_

_Anyways, I was talking to her at a runaway show I was doing in London, and I mentioned how interested you are with fashion and designing your own stuff. I mean, I know it's sort of a secret hobby of yours, and it's not you can really talk to Harry about it, geez, he's a boy, for Merlin's sake, but I've always thought you should give the designing thing a real go. You should totally send her a design or whatever. Because although her stores aren't that high end, she has sooo many connections. _

_Do it. You know that you love me and you will thank me later._

_I hope to hear from you soon, honey!_

_Love, Lavender_

_PS. Love the picture of you and Harry you sent. Cute lightning bolt earrings!_

Parvati smiled at the letter (even though she had no idea what 'they' said about Seekers) and fumbled around in the envelope for the copy of _Witch Weekly_. She rushed towards page four, grinned, and felt like shouting, "That's my best friend!"

Lavender looked amazing. Her dark brown lipstick contrasted her pale skin and her choppy hair looked windswept as it brushed delicately over her big doe eyes. Her beautiful, lean figure was draped in a cream, flowing dress.

Parvati couldn't believe the fabulous day that she was having. Harry had been fantastic, glorious, stupendous, amazing last night, Lavender was in _Witch Weekly_, and the designer idea had gotten Parvati thinking. Sure, she had always been interested in fashion, just like Lavender had. Sure, she had sketches a few designs down. But to make a career out of it?

Maybe she would show Harry the pictures, and ask what he thought.

Which brought Parvati to her next line of thinking – where was her _really hot_ boyfriend?

She shrugged, and flipped through the pages of _Witch Weekly_ with interest. She didn't notice Colin Creevey standing beside her until he tapped her on the shoulder.

He looked anguished, Parvati realised with a shock.

She faintly heard the words, "It's about Harry…" when she was assaulted with a multitude of blazing, hazy visions. But they all concluded to the same thing.

Draco Malfoy watching as Harry Potter slowly collapsed into a sickening pool of his own blood.

Draco Malfoy stepping on Harry's already bleeding hand for good measure, and walking away from the scene.

Harry, lying in the shallow puddle of water that was streaming from a broken bathroom tap.

The cerise blood gushing out from his chest, his arms, until Harry, struggling to breathe, choked on the cascade of blood gushing from his mouth.

She Saw Harry Potter dying.

* * *

**A/N:** Genevieve Gladrags is an OC; _Gladrags Wizardwear_ is a canon store. _The Fountain of Fair Fortune_ is a tale found in _The Tales of Beedle and the Bard_. I only use canon spells out of the books:

_Duro_ - harden, solidifies target (It's used in Deathly Hallows for anyone wondering)  
_Stupefy_ - renders target unconscious  
_Furnunculus_ - curse that makes boils break out over target  
_Confringo_ - blasting curse  
_Locomotor Mortis_ - binds target's legs together  
_Sectumsempra_ - curse that cuts target


	26. Forever Yours

**Chapter 29 - Forever Yours**

Thanks to **JennyJ, Fire From Above, almost insane** and **Cinnamon Selkie** for being such awesome reviewers; Kudos to the Unknowable Room, and the HP Lexicon for all the helpful writer stuff.

**Warning: **Scenes of a consensual sexual nature, infrequent coarse language and references to mental health issues. Please be cautious when reading if these notions offend or upset you in any way. Thank you.

* * *

Parvati had run all the way to the Hospital Wing. She burst through the doors, stricken at the sight of Harry bended hastily tendered to by Madam Pomfrey. His head was swathed in blood; it coated his hair. Dumbledore watched on nearby, his blue eyes grave.

She started to run towards him, desperate to do anything, when she was seized from behind.

Parvati felt sick, wild; she pulled and fought with all her might against Professor Snape's firm grasp.

"Let me _go_!" she shrieked, close to sobbing. "Harry! Harry!"

"He's going to be fine, Miss Patil!" Snape finally snapped at her.

Parvati felt as though she were going to throw up, or cry, or smash something. She calm down, but the Dark Arts professor kept a firm hold on her upper arms.

"Who did this?" she hissed through gritted teeth. Snape turned to the bed opposite Harry's, letting her go. Parvati growled at the pathetic boy who hurt her Harry.

Malfoy sat with his head in his bloodied hands. "He threatened to kill me," Malfoy whined through his hands. Next to him was a filthy book.

Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape shared a stern look. Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over Harry in a decisive flourish, and turned to Parvati.

"Well, since you seem to be the closest thing to family of Mr Potter's here, Miss Patil, I'll inform you: Mr Potter will suffer no lasting damage from his wounds. Professor Snape luckily knew the counter-curse and performed it just in time. Potter will be weak for a couple of days and will require bed rest here in the wing."

Parvati nodded dumbly. "Thank you. Headmaster? Has someone contacted Sirius?"

"Yes, I expect Mr Black will be here shortly, Miss Patil."

Madam Pomfrey seemed to hover uncertainly for a moment. "Miss Patil, you are listed as Potter's person of contact rather than his Godfather – I assume Mr Potter hasn't had time to update his medical records, perhaps? – and so when Mr Black gets here, and Potter wakes up, I would like to discuss a few things with you all."

Again, Parvati dumbly nodded. She felt relief that Harry would be okay – but she was using all of her emotion to silently curse the Malfoy name to the blackest depths of Hades.

"Where did you get this book, Mr Malfoy?" Snape spoke abruptly and loudly to the boy. It was the only time Parvati had ever seen Snape angry at one of his own Slytherin students.

Malfoy shrugged in response.

Dumbledore looked saddened behind his half-moon spectacles. "You will accompany your Head of House to my office, Mr Malfoy, where we will discuss your future at this school. Dark Magic is not permitted on Hogwarts grounds."

_Dark Magic?_ Parvati's mind whirled. _That stupid bastard!_

Parvati glared at Malfoy until he left the room, out of sight, with the teachers.

Parvati waited by Harry's bedside all day and night, not caring for her classes. Ron and Hermione had joined her, soon followed by an extremely shaken Sirius.

Harry awoke the following morning, bruised but relatively okay. He smiled lightly as Madam Pomfrey poked and prodded his healing wounds, joking with Sirius as she rebandaged them. All three of them could tell that whatever Madam Pomfrey had to tell them wasn't too positive.

"Harry," she began gently, "It says on your records that you've been seeing a therapist."

"Yeah, I have."

"She's indicated to me that some time ago last year you may have suffered from mild depression."

Harry's mouth fell open. "What? But – Blimey! I don't want to _off_ _myself_!"

Sirius frowned. "Isn't that a breach of client confidentiality?"

But Harry shook his head. "When I started seeing her I agreed that she and Madam Pomfrey could discuss stuff, like my medical history and stuff. But I just don't get it…I don't want to _die_…"

"Having a mental health issue doesn't always mean that, Harry. But you expressed finding it hard to concentrate at school, feeling out of control of your emotions, feeling as though you were alone…these are just a few symptoms of depression."

Parvati began crying. "I…I never realised…"

Harry grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "Hey, I never realised either, Par," he reassured her. "I just thought I was being mopey."

The matron sighed. "I'm telling you this as I'm worried with your… reputation for trouble that these feelings could resurface."

"Oh."

Sirius spoke quietly. "Do you want to put him on medication?"

"Heavens, no, not now! I'd just like Harry to know all of his options; there are numerous treatments. It's good to know he has you two that he can lean on, in any case.

"Mr Potter, if you need any more information, just come and find me, all right?"

Harry looked a little shell-shocked. "Err, thanks, Madam Pomfrey."

After an hour of verbally mulling this revelation over, Sirius made his way back to Grimmauld place, leaving Parvati and Harry alone. Parvati snuggled under the covers and into Harry's bed. Her head rested on his uninjured shoulder.

"We will deal with this together," Parvati vowed determinedly. "The crazy visions and the depression and whatever else comes our way."

Harry kissed Parvati on the lips softly. "Thank you."

"No problem."

"So, are you excited for Quidditch season again?"

"Yeah, first practice is next Wednesday."

"Oh, cool, can I come watch?"

"Sure, Par."

"Hey, Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Lavender sent me a letter this morning, telling me about a textiles apprenticeship she thinks I should go for."

"And are you?"

"Mmm, I think so. Uhm, would you…would you like to see some of my sketches?"

"Sure!"

Parvati snuck out of the hospital wing and returned sometime later with a handful of Chocolate Frogs and her sketchbook.

"You're the first person to see this, apart from Lavender," Parvati remarked nervously.

Harry opened the book, slowly flipping through the pages, his mouth hanging open.

"Parvati…"

"Oh crap, I knew this would bore you…"

"These are _amazing_."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I'm not really into, uh, clothes, but these look really cool. Especially the saris."

"The blue one is nivi-style."

"...I will pretend to know what that means, ha. I suppose imagining what you'd look like wearing them makes me able to visualise and like them more. But _wow_. This one is great."

Harry pointed to a sketch of a long, flowing fuchsia dress. It had an empire neckline and was ankle length. Parvati had made notes accompanying two swatches that denoted it was made out of satin and chiffon.

"You'd look hot in that," Harry said decisively.

Parvati laughed. "Thanks."

"Wow, imagine you in five years: Parvati Patil, fashion designer. That's so cool."

Parvati was reminded of the vision she had recieved during the summer. _Nope, wrong. Parvati __Potter__, fashion designer._

Parvati blushed. "I'm so happy you like it. I was worried you'd think it was lame."

"Nah, it's cool!"

And that was how they spent the rest of their week; in totally rhythm to one another, together no matter what life threw at them.

..::ooOOOoo::…

Parvati stared at Harry's arse, accentuated by his tight Quidditch uniform shorts. _God, he has such a cute bum._

Ron waved Parvati goodbye and slapped Harry on the back good naturedly as he left the change rooms. They had just finished their first practice of the season; Harry had been practising the Wronski Feint, and now the Gryffindors were certain of a victory.

Parvati watched Ron round the corner, and heard his footfalls fade out as he walked down the corridor.

She and Harry were alone in the change rooms.

She and a very sweaty Harry were alone in the change rooms.

Parvati was suddenly seized by overwhelming lust.

Harry let out a startled yell as Parvati roughly shoved him against the Quidditch lockers with all her might. She kissed him hungrily, her tongue slipping into his mouth. _I want you so badly_, she thought feverishly.

Parvati pulled down her black lacy panties, and her boyfriend pulled his own down. Parvati grabbed Harry's hand and led down past her waist. They manoeuvred so now Parvati had her back against the cool metal locker doors. Harry started to press his fingers to her folds, and soon pushed inside of her. She could feel herself becoming slick and wet at his expert touch.

"You make me so wet," Parvati commented huskily.

"Fuck," Harry replied insatiably.

They continued to feel around for a couple more minutes; their sound of pleasure echoing around the room. The light of the dying orange sun washed over their pressed-together bodies. Parvati could feel her heart beating as fast as a snitch's wings.

"Harry," she moaned with insatiable longing as she looked at his now fully-standing erection.

"Don't you –" Harry began in a deep, strangled sort-of voice, "Don't you - want it be – special? Or whatever?" His breath was hot on her sweaty face.

Parvati shook her head in response. "_Now_," she commanded in a hungry tone.

Harry shifted in his position, and grabbed a condom out of his Quidditch bag.

"Dean told me that there's a spell, but I don't know, it doesn't seem right," Harry explained roughly, and caught Parvati's eye. Harry grinned that amazing grin of his, and Parvati grabbed the condom, helping the process along, vaguely knowing what she was doing. _Thank the stars for that talk with Lavender!_

They kissed long and slow, the kiss as warm as the sun's glow that coloured their bodies. Harry made sure he had Parvati's bottom half fully supported up against the locker door before he dutifully and gently entered her.

Some time later, Parvati smiled lazily at Harry, content. After making love in the change rooms, they had ventured up to the boy's dorm after Parvati had confided to Harry that sex wasn't supposed to hurt the second time. Between the butterfly kisses and wax-white sheets, together they had found out that it didn't hurt the third or fourth time either.

"I love you," she said softly, truthfully. She had just come back from quickly having a shower and was now gazing at Harry as they lay side by side in his four-poster bed.

Harry swallowed, and got up. He put on his glasses, and rolled out of bed still naked. He rummaged in his sock drawer for a couple of moments, and then turned around.

He had a navy-blue velvet box in his hands.

Parvati's heart went into overdrive, but she tried to look as calm as she felt. Harry opened the box as he shifted so that he leant on one knee.

The engagement ring inside the box was simple but beautiful. A gold band with two tiny diamonds, one at each end of the engraved phrase '_I love you'_. It was different to the one she had Seen in her vision, Harry must have changed his mind -

Harry's brow was furrowed as he studied Parvati's expression. Then, his careful expression fell in a dramatic fashion.

"You Saw this, didn't you?" he asked quietly, eyeing her intently.

"Yes," Parvati whispered, and her eyes left the ring to meet his. Tears welled up in her eyes and made a salty path down her smooth cheeks. "But I never saw the ring. Oh, Harry, it's _beautiful_."

Harry rose up off the ground, and place the ring box gently on the sheets. He cupped Parvati's face gently.

"Did you have a vision of what I was going to say?"

Parvati shook her head, overcome with emotion, unable to speak.

Harry smiled, and ruffled his hair nervously. "Good."

He took a deep breath and spoke.

"I know that we're young, but this…being engaged to you, for me, wouldn't mean settling down and having kids in a couple of months. I want to marry you so if I die in this stupid war, at least I will have been tied to you in the best way. And I don't care if that's being selfish. I want to show you how much I love you in a way other than just saying the words. If I live through this, I promise to be the best fiancée and husband that ever lived. I'll never leave you. I'll make sure I listen to you. I'll admit when I'm wrong. I'll love you like no one else can. I'll make sure nothing I do or decide on will ever hold you back from what you want to do. Parvati Sitara Patil, will you marry me?"

"Of _course_."

* * *

**A/N:** If you feel depressed or know someone with mental health issues and would like to talk to someone about it, you can phone your nearest helpline or talk to someone you trust like a family member, friend or mental health intiative. In Australia there is Lifeline (13 11 14) and Beyond Blue. I strongly discourage negative opinions about mental health and medication in reviews! But I encourage constructive criticism! Go on! Critique my suffixes, hyperbole and instances of aposiopesis!

Three chapters to go, including the epilogue, yay!


	27. Until The End

**A/N:** This is the last chapter, discounting the epilogue. Please note this contains chapter coarse language. Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews!  
Spells to know: _Crucio_ – causes excruciating pain for target, _Confringo_ – curse blasts target, _Stupefy_ – renders target unconscious.

* * *

"Did you end up finishing that awful essay Snape gave us on lycanthropy last night, Harry?" Hermione questioned brightly as she tucked into her breakfast.

Harry found himself unable to look Hermione in the eye.

_I didn't finish that awful essay because I had sex with my __**fiancée**__. Multiple times. We didn't get to sleep until three in the morning._

"Uhhh, no…" he replied lamely.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Well, that wasn't a smart move, you'll have to finish it tonight, and you were going to help me study! We have a reservation at Madam Rosmerta's tomorrow night remember?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione had decided last week that they hadn't done anything relatively rule-breaking in a long time and had convinced Parvati, Lavender, Dean (who also invited Ginny, his current girlfriend) that they sneak out and have dinner at Madam Rosmerta's establishment in Hogsmeade.

Harry shrugged. "Snape would give me crap marks, anyways."

""'allo there, 'Arry!" Hagrid beamed as he entered the Great Hall.

"Hey, Hagrid!" Harry greeted cheerfully; the trio hadn't been down to his cabin in some time, so he was glad to see his favourite teacher once again.

"I've gotta message fer yer from Headmaster Dumbledore," Hagrid winked. "Wants to see yer in his office right away, 'e said."

Harry frowned. "Oh, that's weird."

Hagrid then added to Harry in a hushed tone, "The password's Ton-Tongue Toffee."

Ron shot Harry a worried look_. 'Do you think he knows that I sold my bag of Dungbombs to some first years?' _he mouthed, to which Harry shrugged in reply.

..::ooOOOoo::..

"Ahhh, Harry," Professor Dumbledore greeted warmly. "Please, sit down."

"Now, you must be wondering why I have summoned you here."

"Uhhh, yeah, I have."

Dumbledore's blue eyes looked grave behind his half-moon spectacles. "The recent incident with Mr. Malfoy has made me…evaluate how _I _have treated you, Harry. I am afraid to say that I have left you in the dark when it comes to the topic of Tom Riddle."

Harry stiffened; this was going to be a serious conversation.

Dumbledore continued.

"I think I am correct in saying that you rightly believe that you will most likely be the one to kill him. He certainly has a target on your back."

"Yes," Harry whispered. "But, I mean, that's not your fault, that's _his_ fault."

"But, perhaps, I could have educated you more, trained you…but I have always reasoned that your mother defeated him with love, and that love is so obvious in you."

Dumbledore met Harry's gaze.

"I want you to know, Harry, that myself and the Order of the Phoenix will be with you when that day approaches. And that I am truly sorry for the burden of what you must do."

And then, lone tear slipped down his wizened face.

..::ooOOOoo::..

The following day, Harry found himself excused to see his counsellor, who had successfully convinced Harry to call her Angela and not by her surname.

This whole depression thing…it scared Harry shitless. It wasn't just some idea with a name; it was something potentially sleeping inside of him, dreaming of all the hurt and death and hardness of his life. He _knew_ it wasn't a weakness but he couldn't help thinking of it as one. Hermione had told him this was typical of a man, but…he just felt so unsure and uninformed about it all.

Angela gave Harry a comforting smile after he told her his fears honestly.

"I've seen improvement in your mood and behaviour since I first saw you, Harry," Angela told him. "I feel that you need to be careful, however, as in times of great stress and emotional instability you become introverted and, yes, depressed. The way you felt during last year sounds to me as though you suffered from what we call major or clinical depression – a depressed mood that lasts for at least two weeks. In the future if these feelings ever resurface we can certainly delve further into the topic of treatments and what you would feel works best."

The witch waved her wand with a small flourish and a set of pamphlets landed in Harry's lap.

"Here is some information regarding depression, the symptoms, the treatments, and what you and your family and friends can do to help."

Harry couldn't help but feel as though he might be living like a description in these pamphlets one day. "Thank you."

"It is my pleasure to help you, Harry. I'm always here to help you."

..::ooOOOoo::..

The group sneakily walked down the cobblestone street. They had met Lavender halfway. Ron kicked a bin over, prompting Dean and Harry to laugh and Ginny to groan, "Ron, we're meant to be _sneaking_!"

Parvati and Harry were lagging behind the group, having gotten caught up in each other. Parvati made an pleasured noise as Harry's wet tongue went into her mouth, and his hands around her waist.

Harry whispered in her ear, "You look sexy. Those heels are awesome."

Parvati smiled. "Thanks! I have a cover-up excuse for walking funny," she winked, making him blush. "And hey, guess what I'm also celebrating tonight?"

"No idea, tell me."

"I have an interview with Genevieve Gladrags, she sounds like she really wants to be my mentor!"

Harry congratulated his girlfriend enthusiastically and endearingly told everyone in a loud voice as they got their table at Rosmerta's.

Lavender zoned in on Parvati's hand, and the ring there, and choked on her mocktail. "Oh my GOD, PARVATI! Are you _pregnant_?"

"No!"

Hermione gasped. "That's an engagement ring? _Harry_!"

Harry looked as though he was being admonished by a mother, and winced. "Hermione?"

"Is Parvati pregnant?"

"_No_. It's just something we want to do; we won't even be getting married soon."

Ron looked puzzled. "Then why get engaged?"

"Just wanted to make ourselves tied in another way…this war isn't exactly without casualties."

Ginny spoke up. "It seems weird…we might have to _kill_ someone to protect the people we love. We're just kids."

Parvati gave her a reassuring smile. "I suppose it's a pity those people can't be stopped in any other way."

Lavender, however, then seemed to want to change the subject, and seemed to get over the shock of this revelation quicker than anyone else, saying, "Oh, cool. Congrats. I better be maid of honour!" Parvati knew this was why Lavender was her best friend – she just _understood_.

The rest of the evening was great; Hermione, being seventeen, secretly bought alcohol for everyone, and the food was fantastic. Ron and Hermione even seemed to be flirting. They made a toast to Seamus, and Lavender smiled at the memory of him instead of letting her tears fall.

At nine o'clock, Ginny yawned. "We should probably head back to school…"

A strange white light blinded Parvati all of a sudden. Parvati blinked. What the…?

_Harry. Entering Hogwarts from the main gate. Gate blasted open. Harry. Great Hall. Wand aimed high. Lord Voldemort. Green light. Harry. Dead._

Parvati turned to Harry. She felt sick and shaky and then –

_Harry. Entering Hogwarts through secret passage. Harry. Great Hall. Wand aimed high. Lord Voldemort. Green light. Voldemort. Dead._

Parvati came back to the present, just as the lights went out in Madam Rosmerta's.

"Lumos," she heard Harry whisper.

"Harry!" cried Parvati urgently, gripping his ar. His face was surrounded by shadows. "Whatever you do, enter Hogwarts by the witch's hump, okay?"

"Parvati, what-?"

An awful smash sounded, and she heard Lavender scream.

The lights came back on to reveal the bar surrounded by Death Eaters. Lucius Malfoy smirked when he saw the group.

"The Dark Lord is waiting for you, Potter," he said in a simpering voice. "Kill them."

"Stupefy!" Hermione cried at a nearing Death Eater, and the group took this as the cue to run.

They dashed through Hogsmeade, dodging curses and shouting incantations in their defence. More than once, Parvati spotted an Order member duelling with a Death Eater.

"Confringo!" Harry shouted, a hex striking an enemy down. "_Confringo_!"

Parvati's high heels pounded against the pavement as she slowly caught up to Harry; she turned around wildly and faced her.

"What did you see?" he urged.

"I had two visions," Parvati panted. "If we go through the gate, Voldemort k-kills y-you. If we go through that secret passage with the witch's hump, _you_ defeat _him_."

Parvati looked at her surroundings; they were right near the secret entrance.

Parvati crushed her mouth against Harry's, kissing him with all her might, putting all of her feelings and fears into the kiss. "Go," she commanded, her voice breaking.

Harry's expression was unreadable as he turned away. He ducked through the passage and out of sight.

"Well, look here, if it isn't the Boy Who Lived's little _pussy_."

Parvati whirled around, ready to take the _sonofabitch_ who dared to disrespect her.

Harry had to win this. She would do this for him. They wouldn't stop any other way.

It was stupid and pathetic and unjust and wrong but in their world there _was no other way._

She would have to just live with that fact.

"_Crucio_!" she cried.

..::ooOOOoo::..

Curses gleamed in the night sky, fleetingly, before the spells cast hit their targets.

Parvati dodged a killing curse narrowly by slamming herself into the corridor wall of Hogwarts. She fought against a moan of pain and ran in the direction of the Great Hall. Her black high heels skidded along the blood soaked floor.

_I certainly picked the wrong day to wear heels_, she thought to herself. Suddenly, the familiar feeling of a vision washed over her; a _bright light_, _there was a Death Eater, a small boy, the Death Eater – female - raised her wand, shouting "Avada Kedavra!" -_

Parvati whirled to her left, and spotted the scene she had just witnessed. The boy – he could only be a third year – was crying but still threatening his wand at the Death Eater. Parvati didn't have time to admire the boy's courage; the Death Eater raised her wand, about the shout the killing curse, when Parvati cried, "Stupefy! _Stupefy_!"

The Death Eater froze and collapsed onto the floor. Parvati pushed past the boy and ran. She tried to sort through her mind and project a certain vision of the future.

_Come on, come on, where's Harry?_

Parvati turned left into the penultimate corridor to the Great Hall. She was sure Harry would be in there by now; they had been engaged in battle for nearly twenty minutes. She picked up her pace, only to have her heart jolt in terror as she lost her footing; the heel of her right shoe broke, her ankle twisted, and she fell to the ground. She hissed in pain, and she made the unmistakable whimpers of someone frightened as she tried to lift herself up off the floor by grabbing onto the blood stained wall behind her. Her mind was whirling; she was desperately searching in her mind for the vision of Harry, the vision she had been seeing repeatedly; Harry in the Great Hall beside her, his wand aimed at the corpse of Voldemort. She was half standing when a follower of Lord Voldemort caught up with her.

"Pretty little slut, you are," the Death Eater hissed at her.

"Go to hell," Parvati snapped.

The Death Eater pushed back on Parvati so hard the she jammed into the wall. She heard a something crack, and the pain in her body doubled; she felt for sure her shoulder was dislocated. The Death Eater laughed, his spit hitting her face.

"I'll come back for you, sweet," he leered, before kicking her injured ankle. Parvati let out a scream, and the Death Eater walked away.

Parvati abandoned her attempts to See in favour of focusing on the present. In a reckless moment, she steadied herself and pushed herself against the wall, her dislocated shoulder slipping back into place.

Parvati bit her lip, locking the moan of undulated pain inside her mouth. She would worry about it later. She had to get to Harry – the sooner she got there, the sooner this madness would all be over. She had Seen it.

It took Parvati a longer time than she thought it would due to her ankle, but eventually she made it to the threshold of the Great Hall.

_Oh, Harry._

Parvati has never seen him so magnificent. He stood his ground, staring right into Lord Voldemort's deep red eyes.

"Your followers are weak," Harry said confidently. "When you die, your Death Eaters will flee. It is fear of you, not loyalty to you, that keeps them fighting. When you die, this all will be almost over. All your planning would have been for nothing."

Voldemort sneered, "_When_ I die, Potter? Surely you mean _if_."

Harry pointed his wand at Voldemort. "Yes, _when_."

Lord Voldemort screamed "Avada Kedavra!" just a moment after Harry did.

Lord Voldemort collapsed onto the edge of the blood-splattered Gryffindor table, dead.

Harry swayed, blood dripping from his mouth. Parvati caught him and staggered in her attempt to support him physically. Harry looked up at her, dazed. He was crying.

"It's over," he whispered through blood-crusted lips, a relieved smile fleetingly fitting his features.

"You did it," Parvati whispered back. Her voice was thick with emotion and she could feel tears running down her face.

No more prejudicially motivated deaths. No more terrifying visions. No more undulating waves of pain from his scar.

She smiled back at him, and sobbed.

_It was all over._


	28. Epilogue: Possibility

**Epilogue: Possibility**

**A/N: **Thank you so much to everyone who has ever read or reviewed _Butterfly_, or has added _Butterfly_ to their favourites or alerts. I'm quite happy with thus epilogue, I tried to keep it real, a little bit cute but not unrealistically happy and fluffy. Congratulations to the 35% of voters who picked "They all live happily ever after...until..."

**Warning:** This chapter contains references to mental health and appropriate treatments and frequent sexual references.

* * *

**_2004 – Eight Years Since The Final Battle_**

"Daddy, daddy! Can we open the presents now? Please, _please_ can we open them?"

Eight-year-old Rose Weasley bounced around her father, eyeing a box covered in metallic blue wrapping paper. Ron yawned, and bleary-eyed, he glanced at his watch. Rose had jumped on the bed in the guestroom where Ron and Hermione had been sleeping, pleading for her father to come down to the Christmas tree half an hour ago. Ron sipped at his coffee, annoyed that it was his wife Hermione, and not he, that had conveniently been in the shower as their daughter had bounded in.

"It's not even seven o'clock yet, Rosie," he said to his daughter, trying to avoid the look in Rose's blue eyes that always made him cave. "At least wait til everyone's up."

Rose pouted, but nevertheless remained in a cheery mood. She skipped over to the kitchen, where Harry was rifling through his fridge for something to eat.

"Happy Christmas, Uncle Harry!" squealed Rose, and to her delight the green-eyed man picked Rose up and spun her around. Over his goddaughter's giggles Harry wished her a happy Christmas as well, and let her down to the floor.

"Auntie Parvati!" was the second, equally excited-sounding squeal that left little Rose's lips. Parvati enveloped Rose in a warm hug.

"Hey, princess," greeted Parvati. "Merry Christmas! Have you opened any of your presents yet?"

"No," frowned Rose, "Daddy said I have to wait until everyone is awake."

Parvati walked over to Harry, who was now in the middle of spooning cereal into his mouth, and kissed him quickly.

"Hmm," replied the brown haired witch, "I suppose that's right."

She winked at Ron. Parvati figured he would tire of his daughter's constant nagging soon enough.

"Harry and I just finished in the shower, so you won't have to wait too long, Ron."

Ron looked a little sick.

"You and Harry – shower - " Here the red head made a face. "I don't care if this is meant to be your honeymoon period, watch what you say – there are _children_ present."

Harry laughed, and to spite Ron, he kissed his new wife soundly. Rose giggled at her father, who pretended to gag.

Ron found a better sight in his wife coming down the stairs. Hermione wished everyone season's greetings before looking at the time.

"It's almost seven," noted the bright witch. "Lavender and Padma will be here soon, then?"

Harry confirmed this as he put his bowl in the sink and washed it. The twenty-five-year-old had been in the Wizarding World for around about fifteen years yet he still liked doing some things the Muggle way, even if it was as mundane as doing the washing up by hand and not by magic. As he took in the peaceful, snowy Christmas morning, Harry felt undoubtedly content. This year he and Parvati had opted for a small gathering at their house for Christmas, and lunch at the Burrow a few days prior had only made this seem more ideal. By the end of the day the pair were almost sick of hearing people wish them well on their elopement – after six years of engagement, people said, it was about bloody time that Harry and Parvati had finally gotten married.

Many a year ago, after Voldemort had been defeated and they were new in their engagement, Parvati had suggested that she and Harry wait until they were sure and ready to settle down before they actually tie the knot. Normally, twenty-two was a relatively young age to get married, and even if they had children within the next two years or so they would be considered to be quite young parents.

But of course, in the world of magical persons, this was not the case.

Once the war was over, Harry's fellow classmates were getting married at seventeen – eighteen for Ron and Hermione – and having a child or two by the time they were twenty-one. By Wizarding standards, Harry and Parvati were late bloomers, but they had enjoyed every minute of being young and, for a while, having little responsibilities. They had proudly paid off all their debts and had bought a two-storey house two years ago.

Parvati had quickly made her way up through the ranks of the fashion world, leaving her apprenticeship at Gladrags Wizardwear behind to start her own label, Storm. Harry had undertaken a teaching degree at a Wizarding University, intending to take over from Madam Hooch when she retired as Quidditch teacher. But his aspirations had turned him away from teaching at Hogwarts, and he now coached the Holyhead Harpies.

Harry smiled as he watched Hermione listen to Rose as she animatedly discussed what she thought Father Christmas had brought her. She had wished for books, of course; Rosie was every bit her mother. A knock on the front door led to Rose emitting another excited squeal as she rushed towards it. Opening the door she screamed, "_Lavender!_"

Parvati tore through the living room, her brown curly hair flying. She was almost as excited as her goddaughter. Parvati engulfed her best friend into a tight hug. Releasing Lavender, Parvati commented, "Wow, Milan did you some good."

Lavender's skin was perfectly tanned, and she her brown locks had been cut shorter and dyed blonde. She was had just finished her contract with the multi-million dollar _Magique_, a French line of beauty products and had completed a series of photo shoots in Milan.

Parvati admittedly had been worried about how she would find her best friend; Lavender's father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer just months after her mother had broken off their marriage and called for a divorce a year ago. Lavender had been forced to mediate her parents, pay her Dad's medical fees, keep her little brother out of her parents' mess and sustain her career all around the anniversary of Seamus' death. Eventually, with support from Parvati and Harry, she had gone on antidepressants, but hadn't reacted as positively as Harry had done four years ago; Lavender eventually had to give them up as she felt as though the types she tried made 'her feel like a zombie' – totally emotionless. It seemed her alternative remedies were working for her now, though, and for that Parvati was thankful.

Lavender's ruby red lips split into a big smile as she flicked her wand casually over her shoulder. A long line of presents transcended though the threshold and over to the three.

"Yeah, well, Milan did you guys some good too," winked Lavender. She then exclaimed to Parvati, "Hey! Nose piercing, I love it."

Parvati ran her hands over the small diamond stud and smiled. "Yeah, I had to do something Indian for the wedding or my grandmother would have freaked," she joked.

The little gathering of people slowly grew to encompass Padma Patil, her partner Anthony Goldstein, and their five-month-old baby boy Jacob. Then, finally, Rose was able to open her presents. As she was the only child old enough to coherently receive presents out of those gathered, she was shamelessly spoiled rotten.

Rose excitedly started eyeing off a large present wrapped in shiny silver packaging, until Hermione smacked her head with the heel of her hand. "I forgot the camera!" she cried.

Even though Hermione had been Deputy Head Auror for the past two years, she, like Harry, still ended up doing things the Muggle way. The curly-haired witch raced up the staircase to search for the camera rather than cast a summoning charm.

Parvati cocked her head to the side, intrigued by what she was seeing; a fulfilment of one of her nicer visions from when she was fifteen. Her smiled widely; she vividly remembered confessing to Harry that she saw herself in the vision, but not him, as they huddled up in Sirius' house at Grimmauld Place together, and had been stricken at the thought. But here Harry was, _her husband_, cooing at baby Jacob as he slept peacefully – a rare occurrence – in Padma's arms.

Hermione yelled down the stairs with a huff, "I couldn't find it, Ron!"

Parvati laughed. "I'll summon it, Hermione, don't worry."

"It's a special present for a special girl," Ron started saying and smiled, and Rosie giggled.

"Daddy, can we open it now?"

"We're just waiting for Mummy, sweetheart…Parvati, have you got the camera? Parvati?"

Parvati blinked, and felt content at the scene in front of her. It had been a long time, and now her visions were finally falling into place. "Oh, yeah, sorry. I spaced out. _Accio camera_!"

**_2006 – Eighteen Months Later_**

Parvati wrangled the uncooperative door open, finally. Her trip had out of the house had had its ups and downs – one of the negatives was being away from her baby. Luckily, she had left Mia in her mother's care.

"Mum?" Parvati called softly, not wanting to wake the baby if she was asleep. "I'm back!"

Parvati walked into the living room, and pulled up short at what she saw. "Harry, what are you doing here? And where's Mum? She's meant to minding Mia."

Harry was staring at a set of papers on his desk. "I sent Leah home since I was here, and Mia's asleep," he said awkwardly, pointing to the magical monitor on his desk. "I…I couldn't get to work today."

Parvati's insides froze.

"You had a relapse?" she whispered. He had been having symptoms of depression just before they had found out they were pregnant with Mia, but the news of their baby had seemed to alleviate them. He had suffered from it pretty badly for a while when he was twenty-one, and had been on medication for a good year along with seeing his counsellor. Harry had tried a couple of SSRI's before he found one that had worked.

Harry swallowed. "I think so."

He looked up at his lover, and noticed how she looked. "What's wrong?"

Parvati accepted that Harry didn't want to talk about himself for the moment, and changed the subject. "Pansy Parkinson, the stupid Slytherin from your Harpies PR team! Well, you know I had to duck into the Diagon Alley store to make sure Hannah got the right dress order, and Pansy walked in, demanding that she be fitted for a new gown. And, well, she took one look at me and said, "Honey, have you ever heard of exercise?""

Harry frowned. "You just had a baby, Par."

Parvati seemed angry at Pansy and at herself. "Six months ago!" She threw her hands up in the air.

"Yeah, and you've been stressed out of your mind dealing with my nightmares and Mia's colic. You haven't had _time_ to worry about yourself."

"It's not fair," she argued crossly. "Hermione was back in shape after a month! And I'm a size _twelve_!"

"Size twelve isn't bad."

"I _used_ to be a size _eight_!"

"Come _on, _Parvati-"

"What," snapped Parvati at last, furiously, "so _you_ get to be negative but I _don't_?"

They stared at each other in tense silence.

Parvati turned away and stormed out of the room, a sob escaping her.

Harry found Parvati on the floor with her back against the kitchen cupboard, crying into her lap as she hugged her knees. Harry walked over tentatively and slid down til he was on the floor with his wife.

Harry placed a hand on Parvati's soft stomach gently, and she lifted her head. Her face was red and blotchy.

"You know I don't care what size you are, Parvati. I think it's wonderful that you have changed because of something you and I made together. …I'm really sorry about before."

Parvati nodded as tears fell down her face, and sniffed. "S'okay. I was in a shitty mood. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"I was thinking about going back on my meds. What do you think?"

Parvati sniffed again. "They worked well last time. You don't zombie out like Lavender does. I think it's a good idea."

"I was thinking I might poison Parkinson's coffee tomorrow morning, too."

Parvati kissed Harry's cheek. "I think that's a _great_ idea. So, how are you feeling?"

"Haven't been really hungry. I've hid a few nightmares from you, y'know, the normal Voldemort stuff…you've been exhausted, Par."

Harry stroked the side of her face. She looked as tired as he felt. He mustered up a grin for her. "No loss of sexual appetite this time, it seems," he continued. "In fact, we should have sex on the kitchen bench. Again."

"Mmm. Someone should pay you for all these brilliant ideas, Mr Potter."

Harry smiled as he started to undo her jeans buttons. His eyes were sad, and Parvati could see he was trying hard – something that always made her so proud. Even in the darkest of moments, he never truly gave up.

"You're so beautiful," he said quietly, and his stubble grazed her cheek as he moved to kiss her rose-coloured lips.

**_2010 – Four Years Later_**

"Mummy?"

Parvati couldn't tear her gaze from the eggs Harry was _this close_ to finishing scrambling. It was already eight o'clock in the morning and she was _starving_. Harry was purposely teasing an eight-month-pregnant Parvati at the risk of making her snap at him relentlessly until she got food into her system.

"Wait a sec, Mia, your Mummy wants breakfast," Harry laughed, setting a quick cooling charm on the scrambled eggs before scooping up a spoonful and delivering it into Parvati's waiting mouth.

"Mmmm."

"Gee, I wish you'd made that noise last night."

Parvati narrowed her eyes at him. "Very funny, Mr Potter. I _did_ make that noise and many others, multiple times, " she whispered so that Mia couldn't hear them. She then grabbed her share of breakfast and fed herself.

"Mummy?"

"Sorry, baby. Yes?"

Mia looked up from her cheese on toast fingers and smiled a toothy grin. "I'm gunna haff a bwuffah," she announced proudly.

Parvati almost choked on her eggs. Mia was going to have a _brother_? What? They were waiting until the baby arrived to know the gender! "Mia Avani Lily Potter, where did you get that idea?"

"I Saw it."

Harry frowned. "Did you dream about it, sweetie?"

"Noooowh," said Mia slowly. "I saw it. I woke up, and I was looking at Bunny, and then my room went all white. I fort Mummy had put the light on. And then I Saw Mummy telling Aunt Hermione that I was gunna have a bwuffah."

Harry's heart flew into panic mode, and his wife's face looked terrified. Could have Parvati passed on her psychic abilities to their daughter?

Little Mia appeared not to have noticed her parents' shock.

"Can I name him?" she asked curiously, her green eyes lighting up.

Parvati sighed heavily. "Maybe, Mia. This time it was going to be Daddy's job since I got to name you."

"But _Muuuuuuuuuuummyyyyy_…"

"Mia, come on, we gotta get ready for the wedding!" Parvati exclaimed happily, successfully distracting her daughter with the day's event – the wedding of Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley. Parvati, Lavender, Hermione and Luna Lovegood were bridesmaids. "Let's go get dressed, hmm?"

Parvati led her daughter to her room, and shot Harry a baleful glare. '_You owe me breakfast'_ she mouthed, and then proceeded to poke out her tongue childishly.

"_Muuuummmy_, why can't I wear a gween dwess too?"

..::ooOOOoo::..

"I love these dresses," Lavender commented graciously before downing another on-the-tab champagne. Lavender loved alcohol – especially when it was free at wedding receptions. "You managed to find a colour that suits us all! Pale green! Who would have known?"

Parvati smirked. There _was_ a reason Celestina Warbeck wore her designs to the Annual Wizarding Music Awards and why Ginny had begged her to design her wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses. She was damn good at what she did.

"How's Robert, Lav?" she asked, changing the subject casually as she saw Sirius trying to convince Molly Weasley to dance.

Lavender rolled her eyes at the mention of her on-again-off-again boyfriend.

"Too concerned with himself. He uses the mirror more than me! I'm never dating a male model again. I swear, the only thing I can rely on to give me a good time is my vibrator. And of course, you have Harry _and_ a vibrator."

"Yeah, but I live with a guy who talks about sport 24/7 and convinced my daughter she could be the next Gwenog Jones. Mia crashed into a tree the other day and _I_ was the one who had to pick the splinters out and fix her broom."

Lavender quirked an eyebrow. Parvati relented.

"Okay, okay, I kind of have the perfect husband. Sheesh! With you I can never complain."

"Okay, go, complain away."

"My lower back aches and every time I try to See that I deliver the baby safe, my vision swims and I feel like throwing up."

"And they say gestation is meant to be a beautiful process."

Parvati snorted. "Do you remember with Mia how I broke out with acne?"

"That wasn't so bad, I was more scared when you threw up in labour and gave birth while leaning on a beanbag."

"Uh, why?"

"They never show that stuff in the Muggle movies, I was totally unprepared! Sweet Merlin, I swore to adopt that day."

They then burst into laughter.

Parvati's husband then materialised next to her. He bowed forward in an ostentatious fashion, flourishing his hand. "My dance partner has left me for another," Harry said in a fake-posh voice, his thumb pointing to Mia who was chatting animatedly with her Aunt Padma. "Care for a dance, milady?"

Parvati looked unsure. "My husband would never approve…"

Harry grabbed Parvati around the waist and supported her as he pulled her up standing from the chair.

"I like to live dangerously," he said, attempting and failing miserably to give Parvati a smouldering look.

Parvati giggled as Harry led her onto the dance floor.

Her big belly bumped against his gently as they swayed gently on the spot to the music.

"I'll have you know my husband is a Hungarian body builder who owns a whip," Parvati joked.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Parvati Potter, _you_ own that whip," he replied, which made her blush.

"Ginny looked lovely, didn't she?" Parvati said trying to keep the squeak out of her voice.

"You look lovelier."

"Harry, we're dancing awkwardly because I'm so huge."

"Puh-lease. You're hot, babe."

Pavati made a mental note to leave Harry tied to their bed next chance she got as punishment – he loved to tease her. "Pervert."

"Yeah, yeah," Harry said with a winning smile.

Parvati marvelled at her husband. "You're on cloud nine, aren't you?"

"Drug free after three years, yes m'am I am," said Harry happily, which made Parvati giggle.

Parvati rested her head on his shoulder as they swayed to the music. "I hope it stays that way," she murmured, referring to his depression. It had been a long four years in regards to Harry's mental health – Parvati had confessed to Lavender more than once that both she and Harry were astounded that Harry had been progressing so well.

Harry shifted his arms as a new, slightly faster song started.

"Hey!" Parvati exclaimed softly. "This is the song we danced to in fourth year!"

"Uh, is it?"

Parvati laughed. "Trust you not to remember, Mr Potter."

"Well, I apologise profusely, Mrs Potter. Let's hope some French dude doesn't cut in."

Parvati laughed as Harry twirled her under his arm.

"So, I saw that you were talking to that Jaune woman before," Harry started casually, knowing exactly how much of a big name the woman was in the fashion industry.

Parvati's eyes widened excitedly. "She's interested in some of my winter designs! She especially loved the lightning bolt boots…"

Harry blushed. "You really love that trademark, don't you?"

"Uh-huh. It's so sexy."

Harry motioned with his head over to where their daughter had curled up in Padma's lap, sound asleep.

"I think we better go, soon, Mia's crashed." Harry yawned. "I think I might too. Being the best man is hard work."

..::ooOOOoo::..

Parvati gently lowered herself into bed. She smiled as Harry sleepily opened his eyes and snuggled closer to her.

"Hey, beautiful," he mumbled, thick with sleep. He snuggled his head into her upper arm.

"Heya, sleepy. Mia went to sleep okay?"

"Yeah, after I read _Beauty and the Beast_ to her three times."

Parvati smiled at her husband through the darkness. "Night, Harry."

"Night, Par."

Parvati fell asleep quickly, content. But the contentment did not stay long; a dark and treacherous vision leeched into her dreaming.

_There was fire everywhere._

_Hogwarts was aflame._

_Screams pierced the night; the candlelit windows were awash with bright cerise blood. Lording over the mayhem stood a man with dark brown eyes and steel grey hair. His lithe form was cloaked in deep black robes. Beside him, a young girl dressed in white was screaming silently. Blood was seeping out from a black strip that was choking her. He had his wand trained on her._

"_I am the new Dark Lord," the man said, his terrible voice echoing through the halls and out into the midnight air._

The vision ended in a frightening blast of white light, as quick as a lightning strike, and Parvati awoke, screaming.

"Parvati!" Harry cried in alarm. Parvati opened her eyes to see Harry, pale, kneeling over her form. His bright eyes were worried. She was drenched in sweat.

"What happened? Are you okay? Is it the baby?"

"I-I had a vision," Parvati responded hoarsely. Her hands were shaking. "The baby's fine, and I'm just a little shaken."

At Harry's advice, she went to the kitchen to get a drink of water.

They silently mulled over her vision as they stood at the bench, moonlight dashed across the room.

"Hermione said there have been a few hints of resurgence," Harry concluded. He spoke quietly, careful not to wake their daughter. "The Dark Mark's been spotted at Bristol a few times, apparently."

"What are we gunna do?"

Parvati sighed as she leaned into Harry's touch.

"I'll Floo Hermione in the morning, and you can tell her about the vision," he replied quietly. "We might go see Kingsley, too."

"It's good to know this time the Minister won't be ignoring us," commented Parvati, referring to Kingsley Shacklebolt. She nervously bit her lip. "It's just…this all fits the prophecy. The one I made from sixth year? '_He will be defeated by he who has thrice defied him…He will be defeated by those who have been destined…He will be defeated….and They will rise again…_'"

Harry cupped Parvati's face in her hands, and stared into his emerald eyes. She kissed him for a moment, and her lips lingered near his as he spoke.

"We're going to be okay, Par. You, me, Mia and the baby."

Parvati smiled at her husband, and despite the darkness looming ahead, she knew he was right. "Of course we are. You've got a Seer for a wife, you know."

Harry smirked, and kissed Parvati gently on the lips. "I love you, so much."

"I love you too. Always."

* * *

**Author Notes Of Much Importance:  
**- There will never be a sequel written to Butterfly. I like that this story has a future that won't be written!  
**-** _Mia_ is Harry and Parvati's daughter's first name, pronounced 'Mee-yah'. It means 'my', 'wished for' and 'rebellion'. Her middle names: _Avani_ is an Indian name meaning 'earth', and _Lily_ is after Harry's mother.


End file.
